Dean, Risto,

I also found the loom shape of this example to be somewhat unusual, which is the reason that I posted it. I would not at all be surprised to find that the diagram is drawn correctly, these paddles have a wide range of variations. I have also seen small, round shafts, although they are not common. You will notice that the shape of the transition, where you actually hold the paddle, is very different than the center of the shaft. If you follow the link to Gail's surveys, you will see that even within this small sample, the loom has a number of possible shapes. My personal preference is to shape my paddle shafts as Dean suggests, with the long axis of the shaft perpendicular to the paddle blades, for comfort and strength (and ease of shaping). Several of Gail's surveys document this shape.

Greg Stamer
Orlando, Florida