How to Keep Your Pegs from Slipping

     Here is the recipe for Magic Powder
     That’s what I call it. That’s what the old timer who mixed some up for me twenty years ago called it. And yes, it works like magic!
     When the weather turns colder and we turn on the heat in the house, the air dries out. Our violin pegs and the peg box dry out as well. What seemed to hold in place just fine during the spring and summer all of a sudden doesn’t want to hold at all. Open the case and there you have it! The strings are totally loosened and maybe even the bridge has fallen down. Yipes! Here’s how to solve that winter problem of slipping pegs:
     You’ll need:

One stick of blackboard chalk

About a cubic ¼” of rosin - just a little bit

Pulverize both and blend well

Store it in a 35 mm film canister*

This should last you twenty or thirty years.

     You can get a 35mm film canister from your local CVS Pharmacy, or any place else that still develops film the old fashioned way. In fact, they’ll probably just give them to you.
     Loosen each peg one at a time. Using a Q-Tip or a bit of cotton, dab just a little bit of the powder on the peg where it fits into the peg box. That should do it. Put the peg back in place and tighten it up.
     In the spring when the weather turns humid again, you may find that the pegs become difficult to turn. Then you’ll need to clean the pegs off and use peg soap on them. More about that later. I’m going to go toss another log in the woodstove right now.