There's a long back-story to this - but I'll keep it as short as possible !

Back in the day when I was still questioning everything about the violin, and specifically, rosin types and behaviors, a number of folks on the forum (and other places) had talked about "Baker's Rosin".

Now, I'm a Scotsman, and, true to type, it's not that we're "mean" - we just don't like to see stuff being wasted - but that's what happened back then with various cheapo, glass-like rosins I had tried - into the bin they went.   No big deal, but still annoying!

So, I thought, also being intrigued by the fact that the Baker's Rosin was a hand-made artisan product, with very limited production runs - why not give it a try - and indeed - support an enterprising individual - sounded like a plan !

So, 4 years ago, I registered on the site  and I fully understood that there was a list, you get added at the end, there is no guarantee you will necessarily get the product from "this year's" production run - although - he does close the list off once he knows for sure he won't be able to meet demand in any one particular year.  That's all good, and I was happy to register, with the later opportunity of being given an option to purchase a rosin cake when available.   I was perfectly happy to wait my turn.

Anyway, about 2 years later, I had heard nothing, so I went back to the site and (unintentionally, as it happens) re-registered.   It was then I discovered that this very action (re-registering) effectively REMOVES you from the list - it's their way of stopping DOS and spam attacks.   So - I start a ticket - and - I get a response.   My accidental re-registering was understood, and we engaged in an interchange of chat via the ticket posts, and indeed, several more interchanges by personal email - just chatting about stuff in general, and the nature of his hand-made product.  All cool, and I was back-on-the-list.   

Apparently.

Well, another 2 years go by and nope, nothing happens, no email with the offer to purchase - so - well - I just give up.  What's the point ?   When I say I'll do something, I do it - and strangely enough - I expect the same of others !

Then, by curios coincidence, Baker's was talked about on a Facebook thread, and I mentioned my problems about getting hold of it (not that I was overly concerned by now) - and both @damfino and @coolpinkone immediately responded saying they had a SPARE cake - I mean - apparently as rare as rocking-horse-5hit and two folks I know have two cakes each !!!!

It turns out the "spare cakes" they had were donated to them by other members - and so now - Mandy very kindly mailed me her spare one (which originally came to her from Lindsey @RockingLR33  )

So - THANK YOU ALL LADIES - it will - if nothing else - at least satisfy my curiosity !

My initial use with it was this afternoon - and so far - it's quite interesting - because - I have strung my FiddlerMan Concert with octave strings.  Now, these strings are really nice for what I want them for - but - they don't half take some heavy bowing, especially on the G and D - it takes a bit of effort to get the bow to engage with the strings.  Until now, the bow carried Andrea Solo, but, with the Baker's I find I need an even heavier action to get engagement on the lower strings.   Perhaps a stiffer (and possibly heavier) bow - like a viola bow might just be more playable... but that's about the strings anyway, and not so much the rosin...

There's another entire story about the octave strings ( they are D'Addario Helicore Octave )

"The Travelling Rosin"