I’ve been working on a double bend paddle. Here I zoom in on the grip as my third coat of spar varnish dries. The shaft was 5 thin strips of wood: Ash, cherry, douglas fir, cherry, ash. Then at the grip position I added mahogany, maple, mahogany to each side.
Thank you!
Looks great! Nice work.
Thank you! Still a bit of work to complete before trial.
Great choice of the fir. I remember reading something about how fir has a very high strength to weight ratio when doing some paddle wood research and was surprised how highly it ranked.
Fantastic looking build there.
Thanks! My study showed it can split but yes, the strength/weight ratio is a win. My paddle is still in progress but will likely be under 2 lbs.
Looks amazing. I have done similar work using various woods from special places. So rewarding.
Thanks! It’s been a fun project.
So beautiful… would definitely hang it up on the wall.
But I would feel bad making it a useable paddle.,
The first thing I do to the grip of a paddle with that much finish is sand off the varnish. I just can’t get a good hold with a slick finish and water.
I hear you. The great debate on finish continues. This paddle will only be used for short urban outings. I guess I’m just partial to the shine. 😂
That's really gorgeous. Beautiful craftsmanship.