Bags

forming the first knot with the tying-in string

twisting the string around the stock with as much force as possible

looping the string and finishing it off

Your bagpipe will come delivered to you complete with a bag attached. This may be made from sheepskin, cow hide or one of a number of different synthetic materials.

If your bag is synthetic, you do not need to season it to maintain it. You must make sure however that all stocks are tight in the bag and that no air is leaking from it. If you have a sheepskin or hide bag, you will have to season it before you do anything with it (see "Taking delivery of new bagpipes").

One of the most common problems with a bag (used or new) is that a stock which has been tied in can work its way loose. A loose stock will mean air escaping and once this happens the pipes will not function properly. You will know when this has happened as the pipes will suddenly seem a lot harder to blow and maintaining the required pressure on the reeds will be difficult.

Re-tying a stock is not complicated. The correct procedure for this is as follows:

Cut away the existing tying-in string. Take a new length of this (it is generally a waxed, very strong string) and tie it around something solid such as a vice, pillar or broom handle.

Sit the stock into the existing hole of the bag in approximately the correct position. Loop one end of the string over the bag and stock with a slip knot making sure the string is in the groove in the stock. Take up the slack and, keeping tension on it at all times, twist the bag and stock in towards yourself, wrapping the string tightly around both bag and stock as tight as possible. Loop the string over the stock and tie off by slipping the end of the string through the loop and pulling tight. Repeat this a couple of times and your stock will be tightly tied in.