: Looking at the picture and the cross-sections, and then reading Rob's
: explanation, I can't decide which side the ridge is on. In the picture the
: shape of the blade at shoulder and down the blade indicates the ridge on
: the power face, giving a sort of dihedral. Which is conceivable. But would
: not allow a canted stroke (?).

: Rob clearly states that the ridge is on the back of the blade, which would
: allow the canted technique.

: Have I missed something here or are these really two very different blades,
: the one in the picture, and the one Rob describes?

I have made my own interpretation of the drawings David Zimmerly shows in his book of the Aleut paddle. I’ve gone through a number of test paddles and settled on a design similar to the Aleut paddle shown in David’s book.

As a woodworker, looking at the side view of the paddle, the surface that defines the spine, I feel this must be the non-powerface because the “step” in the transition at the blade and loom creates a stress riser, a point that would focus forces inducing a break in the wood, especially if the step side were the power side. I’ve eliminated this “step” from the paddles I build.

Also the spine angles down like a long wedge or ramp from the loom to the tip of the blade, with the wood grain running out along this surface. I believe constant pressure on the spine side, if used as a power face, would cause the wood grain to split, where pressure on the flat side (power face) would compress the wood grain on the spine side, preventing a split.

I sent David Zimmerly and e-mail expressing these thoughts and he said he also thought the flat surface of the paddle to be the power face.

All the best,

Rob Macks
Laughing Loon CC&K
www.LaughingLoon.com