> Yes cedar is a fairly brittle wood but after making 3 western red cedar
> (one piece paddles with yew wood tips) I can say that they are strong
> enough for me.

For what it's worth, I've made a lot of West Greenland paddles from cedar, and the only problem I have ever run into was when I tried laminating a one-by-four cedar board with oak moulding to create a loom --- and save some tree, I guess. It was a wonderful paddle --- probably my best design out of the ten or 12 I've made --- and it was great for two years, but it gave way right at the stress riser defined at the end of the oak panels as they faired into the cedar. Was doing a landing in small surf when I braced into what I assumed was water but caught a submerged log. Snapped like a pencil! Did a head-brace into the log. Spruce is nice if you can find good stuff.

Jack Martin