New Shafts on Old Pegs
There wasn't a lot of money in old Norway, so it was rare to use imported materials like ebony for pegs. So the decorated pegs were made out of some hard local wood.
The problem is what to do when the original decorated pegs are worn out. In the violin world, pegs are not part of the maker's art, and old pegs are merely discarded and
replaced. But this is not permissable with a decorate d Hardanger fiddle peg - the peg is part of the maker's art, and must be preserved.
I have finally worked up a technique for putting new ebony shafts on old decorated pegs. Here are a few pictures.
Click on the picture to enlarge
The peg in its original condition. This is an
E-peg; it has been strangled by the string. It
fit badly, and I could not make it hold, no
matter how much peg dope or chalk I used.
The shaft of the peg
has been cut down.
The ebony cylinder has a tapering hole.
The ebony is glued on
The shaft is cut to the proper taper.