Watching Yasuoki Tanaka work is like stepping back in time. Surrounded by hand tools and little vials of resin-colored liquids in the workshop at his Columbia home, he combs out strands of thick, ...

Imagine a violinist in full flow: bow arm flying, hair flicking and rosin specks everywhere. But what does this strange, powdery substance actually do to violin bows? If you have ever tried to google ...