Jim,

I am going to oil just the shaft & handle. I will glass the blade and use a satin varnish over the epoxy for UV protection.

: 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.