: I have sanded my paddle with 100 grit on a longish sanding block to get rid
: of many nasty gashes after planing. One question is, how fine should I go?
: On Ross Leidy's great web page he mentions he used 200 or 220. I plan to
: just use an oil finish. Ross mentions using alcohol to clean off any dust.
: Will paint thinner work? Is this a necessary step, or one for those who
: are striving for paddle perfection:>

: Perhaps the lamest question to be posted on this BBS, but for a
: Greenland-style paddle, what weight should I be trying to achieve?? I know
: most feel the lighter the better, but this is my first such paddle (my
: first ever hand-made one actually).At what weight will it cease to be
: useful as a paddle, and best be left on the wall?

Kelly,

I am assuming that you are talking about a solid wood paddle here, a fancy strip paddle to be varnished is another matter entirely. Most of the Greenlanders do not apply a finish to their paddles at all and many are not even sanded, they are left with the tool marks intact. When I sand my paddles I don't go finer than 150. The water doesn't care, and a rougher finish is less likely to slip from your hands. It simply depends on how "perfect" you want the final product to appear.

I recommend wetting the paddle to raise the grain and sanding once dry. You may need to do this several times. Pay close attention to the paddle shoulder and the edges of the paddle. If you are using an oil finish you do not need to worry about dust, just apply the oil with a rag or steel wool and dispose of carefully to avoid combustion. I use a 50/50 boiled linseed oil/gum turpentine mix for the first oiling and let it soak in overnight. For additional oilings I use less and less turps until only the oil is used. These additional oilings must be wiped off before they dry or your paddle will develop a "crinkle" finish that will take plenty of elbow grease to remove.

Paddle weight is very subjective and you will find those that preach the benefits of heavy as well as light paddles. All of my western red cedar paddles are under two pounds although I prefer stronger, heavier paddles for using in surf and storm conditions. My first paddle was of a dense chunk of Douglas Fir and is over 2.7 pounds. It is now hanging on my wall. You will find that the weight of a paddle blank can vary remarkably within the same species. I spend hours looking for blanks with the right combination of vertical grain and low weight.

Have fun and Good Luck,

Greg Stamer