Based on this response, I should expect that tung oil will have little effect on the final color? Aren't many products (that contain tung oil like Watkins Danish Oil) formulated with a stain component? For some reason I expected a significant darkening beyond the appearance when wetted. I'll try that on some scrap pieces. Thanks for the response.

: The finish itself isn't likely to have much of an impact on the final color.
: If you wet the wood, you'll see what the final color/contrast will be
: like. The color change when you apply the finish is more due to the
: wetting out of the wood than the color of the oil or varnish. I prefer a
: 50:50 oil/varnish blend on my paddles, as it provides the look and feel of
: oil with better durability.