: An idea I haven't tried yet is to make a laminated paddle of softwoods and
: Kevlar. I'd make the shaft out of 5 layers of wood, with strips of Kevlar
: in between each. ...
: out, though. I think a Kevlar paddle could be designed to have a nice
: 'springy' but solid feel to it.

How would you arrange those sheets of Kevlar - in the plane of the blades, or at 90 degrees?

: I know that Kevlar fuzzes up when sanded, but what about when planed? I guess
: I could see a problem if the Kevlar is protruding from the lamination and
: would need to be planed/sanded off. I might have to use thin strips that

Might Kevlar not be murder on any blades, and the dust when sanded on your lungs?