: hi pete;
: i've been using pro-bond poly-u glue for everything but stripping and
: gunwales since my first boat.

Any particular reason not to use it on strips? With or without steam?

: on my s&g guillemot i used it to glue the panels together so i could remove
: the wire stitches. worked great! it's invisible under the epoxy.
: seat frames on my hiawatha and wee-lassie are holding up nicely.
: it sands easier than the wood around it and doesn't show it's foamy holes on
: a good joint.
: it stains your hands with a vengence, so be neat, if you have to look nice.

Thanks for the tips.

: any thoughts on oil for greenland style paddles?

Hmmmmm... Some thoughts here, but not much to back them up. I carved a Greenland paddle out of Doug fir several years ago, but we all hate it so much that I (not so) secretly wish it would rot into oblivion. No such luck, even without finish of any kind. Four years later the shaft is still smooth, no slivers, no cracks or checks. It's no thing of beauty, but makes a good spare, I guess.

In a prior lifetime I dabbled in custom gunsmithing, and used a good bit of a product called Tru Oil. Now rifle stocks are made to be rained on without warping the barrel and shooting funny, but most guys don't use them for paddles... 8-) Anyway, this stuff is simply high quality linseed oil with driers added. The first couple coats mostly get absorbed into the wood, but more coats actually build a film, like varnish. Might be worth a try, at least on a scrap.

Then again, if you want your paddle to look like a high-gloss Weatherby rifle stock, I have the inside track on their catalyzed lacquer...