I was warned by experts not to do this, but never a disasterous broken pegbox-cheeks in many a year, I suppose it must be OK to do it.

Of a slack string, wind the first lose winding against the 'knob' side of the cheek on the pegbox; then, holding the losened string slightly tight, gradualy crimp it up the rest of the slack.

You could be holding the losed string in one hand and winding the peg with the other, which means that the fiddle needs be on a table; but, there are other ways to do this wee job.

Course, if you own an expensive fiddle then don't do it; instead, take the thing to a Luthier who should apply some treatment to the offending pegholes/pegs!


Hope that helps