: I am making my first attempts at building paddles. I would like to use tung
: oil to finish them.

: Lee Valley sells Tung oil and Polymerized Tung oil AND Polymerized Tung oil
: sealer.

: Is there a product I should use for paddles or is there something I should
: avoid? Or should I just stick with applying the 100% Tung oil and stopping
: thinking about it?

It depends on what kind of finish you're trying to achieve. Polymerized oils will create a glossy film finish just like varnish. If that's what you want, varnish may be a cheaper alternative. Polymerized oil finishes are pretty tough, as Jim indicated, and may be more durable than varnish.

I suspect that the polymerized sealer may have some additional solids in it - such as silica - to help fill pores in the wood, but this is purely speculation.

If you want a soft, matte, traditional oil finish, 100% tung oil or boiled linseed oil is what you want to use.