: 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

Greg,

Many thanks for these comments, as well as your earlier ones. You sure seem to know a lot about these paddles. Any pictures of your paddles that you have would be appreciated by most who post here, I would imagine.

Thanks again,

Kelly