Bow Hair

[Adam R. Sweet]

I am interested in finding out who you currently buy from, which hair you like the best, and why, and what your industry experience has been regarding bow hair these last dozen years or so.

From my own perspective, the industry has changed dramatically since I first started importing horse tail hair from Argentina in the late 1990s. At that time, the violin industry in the US and Canada was fearful of Chinese bow hair due to some bad experiences and bad publicity that resulted in such a negative fallout. Everyone was in a hurry to find a good source and didn't mind paying extra for quality Argentine or Canadian bow hair.

My first trip out of the country on business, in fact, was to Argentina where I worked with a close friend from College that had a relationship with a farmer's cooperative in the Andes. He was importing fur and other materials for making clothing here in western Mass. He introduced me to these people who ended up being my suppliers for over 10 years.

My next trip out of the country on business was to Manchuria, to north eastern China (Harbin specifically) where the slaughterhouse business that trades in horses and other cattle that come across the border with Russia, Mongolia and North Korea. I visited a slaughterhouse (never want to do that again) and learned how the hair dressers purchase tails (what they look for). I decided I would only buy tails in this way in the future. It was the best way to guarantee freshness.

Later, I worked closely with colleagues from Wagman Primus, American Bristle & Hair, Ehix Inc., and Michael T Sowden. I learned a lot from these people. I made a lot of decisions about what I wanted to do with bow hair from my experiences and listening to stories. Steve Beckley of BowWorks taught me a few things. Andrew Glasser taught me a few things. Jacy Sousa (Horst John) taught me a few more. Now, 12 years later, I think I provide the industry with the freshest (slaughter date), cleanest, best dressed horse tail hair for bows. Many of my customers will agree with that statement. It's been a wild ride and I have learned a lot. Now it's time to share

So share with me. Tell me what your experiences are!

[John Thornton]

Hi Adam,

I haven't any "trade" experience in buying or selling horse tails but I will say that "mare's hair" is far cleaner in the "natural" state than "stallion hair". The next time you're around (living) horses for any length of time, you'll see what I mean. Myths still abound, but maybe you're the man who can bring truth from the silly fable that "mare's hair just isn't suitable for use in the bow hair business".

John

[Adam R. Sweet]

John, one of the most interesting and knowledgeable (and charming I must say) hair dressers that is still alive today lives in the UK. His name is Michael T Sowden. He's been dressing horse tail hair for push brooms, paint brushes and bows for decades. I first heard him tell that tale (no pun intended) in 2001, at a show he put on for a few colleagues of ours at the Violin Society of America convention in Kentucky. I had asked Michael to come join us in our booth at the show, where he could talk about his products, and to put on a demonstration on how hair is dressed for bows. It was quite interesting. Below are pictures.

To be honest, I don't know what the true story is about Mare and Stallion hair. I can tell you that the hair buyers in China DO NOT differentiate between mare and stallion hair when they purchase from auction. The criterion they use is slaughter date, length and color. Now, TwoTree (my little operation) does differentiate when possible. Emily and I do the purchasing ourselves (she's fluent in Mandarin) and we purchase according to slaughter date, length, color, location (where the animals lived). Not sex. In fact, unless you go to the slaughterhouse, and stand next to the animals as they are processed, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY you can tell if the tail is from a stallion or a mare. And when the tails arrive at the dressing facility, they do not sort the hair by stallion or mare, they sort it by color and length. In fact, it's all mixed up in a huge vat (pics below) and dried and cleaned all together. There's just no way to separate out the different hairs.

So, I would have to say anybody that tells you they sell "mare's hair" or "stallion hair" is pulling your leg. Don't ever pay extra for "stallion hair" unless you go and kill the horse yourself.

[John Thornton]

Thanks for sharing the images of your friend, very interesting and informative. It's an old wives tale (long circulated in most classical music circles) that mares "urinate" on their tail hair, hence spoiling it for use. I've been around horses all my life and never once saw a mare piss on herself! Ha!

[Andrey Lobko]

If you are looking to buy by the hank, Saga is a pretty good supplier. The 180 hair hank is under $8 and it allows you to really pick through it and still end up with a great 150 count hank. Their supply is Mongolian unbleached natural white, and I had nothing but positive response from the customers whos bows i rehaired with it. I do find Mongolian hair better on average than siberian. Perhaps it is due to the climate or simply the breed of the horses. Even a few of my contacts in siberia prefer mongolian hair.

[Adam R. Sweet]

Ah yes, Saga. I know their supplier in China quite well. I have been in the bow hair business now since 1997, and a lot has changed since then. Most of the slaughterhouses that supply tails to be dressed are still in the northeast of China, but many animals are now coming from inner Mongolia, rather than Mongolia itself. I have to be quite clear about requesting tails from animals that lived in Mongolia - and I require processing invoices as proof - before I make a purchase.