: 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.

Watco is pretty thin and seems to penetrate well. I may try boiled linseed oil or tung oil down the road.

: 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.

I'm not sure that it "washed out", but it did wear off the surface. The paddle didn't seem to absorb much water, so I guess the oil is doing it's job. A quick re-application was all that was necessary to restore the finish, though I did end up adding a couple of additional coats later.

: 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.

It's hard to get much of a patina from neoprene gloves. You southern guys just don't get it, do you?

Actually, I suspect that the wear was caused by the gloves, which have Kevlar finger tips.

: 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.

Agreed; I'd like to maintain some degree of texture on the loom.

: 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.

Well, I have to admit that I'm a bit conflicted. I don't mind the application of oil, as it's sort of the same feeling you get from watching sinuous wood curls coming off a block plane. It's an intregral part of the building experience. However, there are times when quick and easy has it's appeal. That's why my next paddle will be roughed out with a band saw.

: 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.

Thanks for the heads-up. I've been wearing gloves anyway, as getting the oil off of your hands is a pain, toxic or not.

: 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.

For me, it's a combination of both. The finish really brings out the beauty of the wood and does prevent gouges, to some degree.

: An unfinished paddle will not rot or absorb a significant amount of water.

John Raleigh keeps telling me that, but I still like the look of a finished paddle.

: Ash or plastic edges and tips (or bone!) will improve durability in areas
: of ice, rocks or oyster beds.

Believe it or not, I've been thinking of checking with the meat department of the local supermarket to see if any cow bones are big and thick enough for paddle tips. Do you think a shoulder blade might do the trick? Can bone be steam bent? If so, strips cut from a femur should work. I'll bet it will stink to high heaven when you sand it!