: I made two GPs by laminating redwood 'blades' onto a douglas fir shaft. The
: paddles may be a bit heavier than my WRC paddle, but the strength of the
: douglas fir allowed me to shape a small loom and still have a reasonably
: stiff paddle. Now that I've carved, tested are reshaped them to my liking
: (although they are xmas presents), I wonder what the most appropriate
: finish is to best preserve the contrast between the fir and the redwood. I
: fear the normal tung oil treatment will significantly reduce the contrast
: and make it a light brown / dark brown paddle. Despite many people's
: aversion to spar varnish, that would yellow the color only a touch. Are
: there any better suggestions?

I would put a couple coats of epoxy on before the spar varnish to give it added protection. Dissimilar woods can expand and contract at different rates through the wet and dry cycle, which can cause delamination.
Donovan