It cracked about 2/3 of the way up the blade, in the middle of good grain, for no apparent reason other than that I had it bent into quite a flex at the time. That paddle was a little thinner than I had intended, by a mistake in the layup. The grain was good, though there were a couple nail holes. But that's not where it cracked.

A chin-up, with the blade end supported, and hanging your weight off the loom?

: SNIP

: Don,

: FWIW, In Greenland, I was told that a paddle should be strong enought to
: support your weight, if used as a chin-up bar. I have not used that test,
: but I do flex the paddle blanks to test their stiffness and strength
: before I start carving.

: Before you add "more beef", consider if using higher quality wood
: with better grain will solve the problem. Did it break because of grain
: run-out, a knot, or because you did not use vertical grain lumber? Did a
: laminated joint fail? Where did the paddle break? Or, as you suggest, did
: you simply make the paddle too thin?

: Adding more material can result in strength, but uneccessary material will
: only add weight and dull elusive responsiveness and "spring".

: Greg Stamer