Um, Bill, thanks for the input.

If I follow your metric in regards to weight in comparison to my most frequently used paddle, 22% of the weight of the paddle would be in the very outmost 3" of either end of something over 7" long (or in the case of this particular paddle fractions of an inch less than 8'). While I appreciate your skepticism, 22% of anything is not insignificant. If you add edging, you are pushing an even greater percentage of the total weight of the paddle out to the ends. Depending on the length of the paddle, species used, finish used- you get a lot of variables. But to be sure, swinging something long that has 1/4 of its weight at the ends is a lot different from swinging something with most of its mass in the center.

I suppose if you remain skeptical the only way to find out is to make two identical paddles and only put hardwood tips on one of them.

As for historic tips, you're right. All of the museum specimens I have seen in person had bone tips, but not all paddles did. One of the ones I have seen had ivory for the edging. Regardless- I am a bit astray. A historian friend of mine who is on the board of the Canadian Museum of History uses ash for kayak tips, as do I. A good number of historic paddles have baleen tips. Baleen is porous and absorbs water, and it has been through his conjecture and some measurements that he decided that ash absorbs water at close to the same rate. Because of this he uses ash when he builds reproduction paddles. Since I use an oil finish, not a hard film finish, I am sure that the tips on my paddles also absorb water. In fact, as I can literally see them swell, I am sure they do. It's gradual, though. You don't always notice the weight change over a day of paddling. Maybe this week I'll do a before paddle/after paddle weight. I've never done that.

m