: Hi all,

: I have built a Prospector canoe and I am in the process of building a Cape
: Ann kayak. However I am now refinishing some canoe and kayak paddles. I am
: also a frequenter of the Bear Mountain Boat Shop's forum and on that forum
: the subject of epoxy encased trim's unnatural look and the look of oiled
: finishes has been brought up more than once. I would have brought up this
: subject on that forum, but it seems that the bulletin board is down and I
: need some info now.

: I have decided to go for a natural satin oiled finish on a paddle to see if
: the oil can protect adequately. On the BMBS forum, Watco's Danish Oil is
: mentioned and is applied coat upon coat until no more oil can be soaked up
: by the wood. I bought some Watco's and when I read the application
: instructions, the description of the product was for interior use only. I
: thought that perhaps I bought the wrong oil and Watco has an exterior
: product available. I went to Watco's website (flecto.com) to check the
: type of oil used for exterior use. The only Watco oil that seemed to be
: for exterior was Watco's Teak Oil. I know that alot of the regulars on the
: BMBS forum also lurk here and probably have an answer to my question. Do I
: have the right oil?? Thanks in advance for your replies!!

I have seen some of those discussion over on the Bear Mountain board, but haven't paid much attention to them. Are the oil propronents saying they are oiling the entire paddle or just the shaft and handle? I wouldn't think that an oiled blade would be very durable no matter what oil finish is used. Oil finishes just aren't that tough, even varnish without an epoxy undercoat is not very tough. I have always epoxied and varnished my paddle blade and oiled the shaft and handle. I see that Watco does have an Exterior Wood Finish as well as Teak Oil, but I use just the regular furniture grade without problems. You will find that you will have to re-oil it ocassionally, the frequency depending on usage. The reason I use oil has nothing to do with the looks. I use it on the handle because varnish and epoxy raises blisters fairly quickly on hands when paddling any distance. The oiled finish is more skin-friendly.