: I finished mine with Watco (~8 coats) and it looked beautiful, untilI used
: it. I found that the finish wore off very quickly at the roots of the
: blades, where my hands are. I've reapplied it, but haven't had it in the
: water again yet. I suppose if you keep applying the oil, it will
: eventually become more durable.

Brian,

I am familiar with (boiled) linseed oil finishes, not Watco, so the following may not apply. With linseed oil the first coats are diluted 50/50 with gum turpentine. This thins the oil and allows it to penetrate.

An oil finish is one that you will touch up from month to month for the first year, and then as needed, but if the oil "washes out", then it probably didn't penetrate much to begin with. With time the oil solids will build up, the oils from your hand will add to the patina and the paddle takes on increasing beauty and character. The look is much different than varnished brightwork, so as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you apply the oil with steel wool the paddle will become highly polished over time. I prefer a rougher hand, and will sand the loom area if it becomes too polished over a long period of time.

The individual oilings take only a few minutes (you let the oil soak in and then wipe it off before it dries), but if you do not enjoy this process, then perhaps a harder finish would suit you better. Just a note, many boiled linseed finishes contain heavy metals (to allow faster drying), so wear latex gloves when applying. You can also find non-toxic polymerized linseed oil at Woodcrafters and other specialty shops, which is what I prefer.

My next paddle will have no finish at all. Truth be told, I think that most people finish for aesthetic reasons, rather than for durability. An unfinished paddle will not rot or absorb a significant amount of water. Ash or plastic edges and tips (or bone!) will improve durability in areas of ice, rocks or oyster beds.

Greg Stamer
Orlando, Florida