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Native paddle finish question
By:Don Beale
Date: 10/1/2001, 2:58 pm

I've been finishing my paddles with boiled linseed oil and a little varnish, thinned with paint thinner. The last one, I used Watco Natural, thinned with paint thinner, which is about the same thing.

I recall Mike Hanks using an awful mixture of turpentine, kerosene, and linseed oil. Mike said it penetrates better, and I'm beginning to belive it. My coating wears off of a new paddle with one use. My older paddles have several coats on them, and they dont wear off like that. It takes several uses / recoats.

What finishes are common, among the oil-based advocates? Is it better to thin with turpentine / kerosene even though it smells so bad? What about heating the linseed / thinner combo, will that help it penetrate?

And also, I thought about glassing the blades on a paddle (before oiling the shaft). Has anybody tried a combination of glassed blades and oiled grip? Concerns about water seeping up under the glass?

Messages In This Thread

Native paddle finish question
Don Beale -- 10/1/2001, 2:58 pm
Re: Native paddle finish question
Chris Casazza -- 10/1/2001, 4:18 pm
Re: Native paddle finish question
Craig Bumgarner -- 10/1/2001, 3:35 pm
Re: Native paddle finish question
Greg Stamer -- 10/1/2001, 4:05 pm
Re: Turpentine vs Paint thinner
Don Beale -- 10/2/2001, 12:44 am
Re: Turpentine vs Paint thinner
Brian Nystrom -- 10/2/2001, 12:25 pm
Re: Mike must be doing something wrong
Don Beale -- 10/2/2001, 12:38 pm
Re: Turpentine vs Paint thinner
Greg Stamer -- 10/2/2001, 11:40 am
Re: Turpentine vs Paint thinner
Rob Macks -- 10/5/2001, 11:21 pm
Re: Turpentine vs Paint thinner
Don Beale -- 10/6/2001, 1:30 pm