What finish do you like best for paddles (homemade, Greenland style)? Varnish, nothing, oil, other? My current projects are cedar: would pine, spruce, etc. make a difference in your preference? Tom Joyce *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
tfj_at_interaccess.com wrote: >What finish do you like best for paddles (homemade, Greenland style)? Varnish, >nothing, oil, other? My current projects are cedar: would pine, spruce, etc. >make a difference in your preference? > Tom, I have used a large variety of Greenland paddles finished with epoxy, varnish, paint, oil and bare (unfinished). I greatly prefer an oiled or unfinished paddle. Since you slide your hands over the edges of a Greenland stick, I find it much easier to maintain them with a little sandpaper and an occasional oiling, rather than go through the hassle of applying epoxy or varnish, although you will may need to oil a few times a year. I find epoxy to be too slick and varnish "squeaks" too much in my hands (YMMV). The heavier finishes may also diminish the wonderful buoyancy of a Greenland-blade. Before you apply a finish, first wet the paddle thoroughly and let dry. Sand the raised grain and repeat this process until the wood starts to behave. My finishing 'recipee' is to use an equal mix of gum-turpentine (Ace hardware carries it), boiled linseed oil and linseed-based varnish (Captain's Z-Spar) for the first coat. The varnish acts as a sealer and is optional. Following coats contain no varnish and have less and less turpentine until you are using only oil. The first coat can soak in overnight but following coats need to be wiped off or the oil will dry to a gummy "crinkle-finish". I use fine steel wool to apply the oil and dispose of it with care (linseed oil on rags can spontaneously combust). I also recommend that you don't get too carried away smoothing the paddle. 150 grit is the finest paper that I use. Having some "tooth" to the paddle surface allows a confident grip, even if you are wearing neoprene mittens. The Greenlanders often don't sand their paddles at all and rarely apply a finish. Greg Stamer http://www.magicnet.net/~gstamer/QK.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
If your paddle is screaming, "gimme oil!" then what ever fluid contacts it is going to suck down in deep. To apply water to achieve grain raising and then follow with a penetrating resin (homemade or otherwise) would seal in the bad stuff. It is advised that you use the thinner that works with your finishing product for grain raising as it will blend with and percolate out of the coat(s) to follow (if memory serves me). A flood product, deks ojle is highly advised for marine use woods. It's a high maintenance product, being more oil than resin (part one of the 2 part mix). I used part one on my canoe rails and liked how it worked. It's a highly thinned oil with some hardening resin. It's application calls for continually applying the product until you can't stand the fumes anymore. That's not exactly what it says on the can, but the just of it is: the more the merrier, and then you wipe it off and let it dry. And if you do this on a cool day and the next day it gets hot, you'd better look into wiping it again. You don't want it to expell oil and then have it dry on the surface. Since a penetrating resin dries and hardens internally, further coats will have largely diminishing value. This makes this one pain in the !_at_#$ application a superior method of application imho. Minwax and Watco both probably make good marine penetrating resins, but I found the deks ojle most reccommended. Painters were making penetrating resin decades (if not centuries) before it was invented, with varnish and linseed oil, but I tend to think a product designed for internal hardening is going to be designed to achieve the slowest possible hardening. Whether you can achieve the same increase in hardening time by adding more linseed oil as compared to using a modern penetrating resin I don't know. But if there were considerable cost savings (lots of sq ft) I would go for the cost savings. To finish the rails on one boat and a couple paddles I'd use the modern stuff. That said, I wouldn't fail to use a spar polyurethane on a chunk of wood to be continually immersed in water (read paddle). You could tape it off so as to not varnish the area that would be gripped. And use deks ojle on the handle, spar poly on the blade. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Decks Olje uses Penetrol which saturates and deeply penetrates the wood. Unfortunately the product has poor abrasion resistance and I would not recommend it for finishing a paddle. I see nothing wrong with using water to raise the grain of the wood. It's frequently done by professional finishing people. Just don't go overboard with the water and give the wood plenty of time to dry. I do not believe that ANY penetrating product will give you long lasting protection. The best approach is to use one of the newer Poly Urethane varnishes made by Interlux/Pettit etc and finish the paddle in accordance with the directions on the can. I finished the tiller on my sailboat with the Interlux product and it looked as good in the third year as when I first did it. Richard Smith ----- Original Message ----- From: Mike McNally <mmcnally3_at_PRODIGY.NET> To: Paddlewise <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 1:03 PM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle Finish > If your paddle is screaming, "gimme oil!" then what ever fluid contacts > it is going to suck down in deep. To apply water to achieve grain > raising and then follow with a penetrating resin (homemade or otherwise) > would seal in the bad stuff. It is advised that you use the thinner > that works with your finishing product for grain raising as it will > blend with and percolate out of the coat(s) to follow (if memory serves > me). > > A flood product, deks ojle is highly advised for marine use woods. It's > a high maintenance product, being more oil than resin (part one of the 2 > part mix). I used part one on my canoe rails and liked how it worked. > It's a highly thinned oil with some hardening resin. It's application > calls for continually applying the product until you can't stand the > fumes anymore. That's not exactly what it says on the can, but the just > of it is: the more the merrier, and then you wipe it off and let it > dry. And if you do this on a cool day and the next day it gets hot, > you'd better look into wiping it again. You don't want it to expell oil > and then have it dry on the surface. > > Since a penetrating resin dries and hardens internally, further coats > will have largely diminishing value. This makes this one pain in the > !_at_#$ application a superior method of application imho. Minwax and > Watco both probably make good marine penetrating resins, but I found the > deks ojle most reccommended. Painters were making penetrating resin > decades (if not centuries) before it was invented, with varnish and > linseed oil, but I tend to think a product designed for internal > hardening is going to be designed to achieve the slowest possible > hardening. Whether you can achieve the same increase in hardening time > by adding more linseed oil as compared to using a modern penetrating > resin I don't know. But if there were considerable cost savings (lots > of sq ft) I would go for the cost savings. To finish the rails on one > boat and a couple paddles I'd use the modern stuff. > > That said, I wouldn't fail to use a spar polyurethane on a chunk of wood > to be continually immersed in water (read paddle). You could tape it > off so as to not varnish the area that would be gripped. And use deks > ojle on the handle, spar poly on the blade. > > Mike > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not > to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/22/00 2:10:13 PM, sailnut_at_asan.com writes: << The best approach is to use one of the newer Poly Urethane varnishes made by Interlux/Pettit etc and finish the paddle in accordance with the directions on the can. I finished the tiller on my sailboat with the Interlux product and it looked as good in the third year as when I first did it. >> You'd best be aware that any finish like this will be hard to hold onto. I had to sand all the finish off my Greenland because I needed tacky wax just to hold on and I didn't think I wanted to have to do that. I do use the wax with the Salamander gloves but soon I'll be able to go with the fingerless gloves which need no wax. Joan Spinner planning a practice session this weekend despite the cold water. I'll learn to roll consistently or I'll end up really cold even in a dry suit. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The comment respecting difficulties in holding glossy finished paddle are totally correct. After your varnish has a chance to harden/cure you might try burnishing the shaft (only) with bronze wool. This will knock off the slippery glossy top finish in favor of a very nice satin/matt surface which should be more comfortable. Richard Smith ----- Original Message ----- From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com> To: <sailnut_at_asan.com>; <mmcnally3_at_prodigy.net>; <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 9:23 PM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle Finish > > In a message dated 3/22/00 2:10:13 PM, sailnut_at_asan.com writes: > > << The best approach is to use one of the newer Poly Urethane > > varnishes made by Interlux/Pettit etc and finish the paddle in accordance > > with the directions on the can. I finished the tiller on my sailboat with > > the Interlux product and it looked as good in the third year as when I first > > did it. >> > > You'd best be aware that any finish like this will be hard to hold onto. I > had to sand all the finish off my Greenland because I needed tacky wax just > to hold on and I didn't think I wanted to have to do that. I do use the wax > with the Salamander gloves but soon I'll be able to go with the fingerless > gloves which need no wax. > > Joan Spinner > planning a practice session this weekend > despite the cold water. I'll learn to > roll consistently or I'll end up really cold > even in a dry suit. > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 3/22/00 2:10:13 PM Eastern Standard Time, sailnut_at_asan.com writes: > I finished the tiller on my sailboat with > the Interlux product and it looked as good in the third year as when I first > did it. I find these results to be remarkable. My experience is 1 year of usage for each coat of varnish, especially for surfaces immersed in saltwater. I think I will switch to Interlux based on your experience. Thanks! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
<< The best approach is to use one of the newer Poly Urethane varnishes made by Interlux/Pettit >> >You'd best be aware that any finish like this will be hard to hold onto.< A hearty second to this. I am finishing a review of eight wooden paddles, and have been using primarily wooden paddles for 2 years. While UV resistance and physical wear are at the top of the list for desireaable qualities for yacht brightwork, tactile considerations should come first for paddles. Even polyurethane is not harder than rocks, so the main cosmetic spoiler is going to be little better anyway, although I suspect that sand will have a more rapid effect on softer varnish. In any case, a coat or two of varnish is a small price to pay for a better grip on the paddle. The softer varnishes (probably alkyd, but unspecified) that I have tried are noticably easier to hold than PU *of the same gloss.* This last factor is a biggie. Matte or satin finish is much less slippery than glossy. I don't think I have tried an example of non-glossy non-PU, or even if such a thing is readily available. Glossy non-PU is still slipperier than I would like. One paddle manufacturer that I talked to, who uses non-PU, said that he ships a scrap of sandpaper with each paddle and advise the purchaser to scuff up the grip area to give decent control. He said that if he did it himself, buyers called up to complain that there was something wrong with the finish! I find it depressing that so many buyers would be unable to figure out why this was done. My solution was even more radical: I wrap the shafts of my paddles with imitation cork bicycle tape. Very grippy, but not very pretty. My primary paddle is now 2 years old, and having been hacked down a couple of class 2/3 river runs as well as plenty of entry braces and hundreds of bonks against the boat, it is ready for some attention. I will probably take off the tape and try a couple of different brands of varnish on the two halves of the paddle, with scuffing of the grips and glossy blades. I doubt that anything will give the quality of grip I am used to with the tape, and of course will also not give the larger diameter that I like, but it will be fun to play with. With luck, I will find that going back to smaller grips is easier on my tendons, but I'm not going to hold my breath! I bought a copy of _Brightwork_ recently to learn more about varnish. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find yet any mention of whether there is a problem with applying differnt types of varnish over one another. Otherwise, a very helpful book. Nursing a cold, so in paddle-withdrawal, Mike Wagenbach *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In respect to semi gloss varnishes... no good for outdoor use. The semi gloss effect is obtained by mixing a fine powder into the varnish. This has the effect of reducing the beautiful clarity of pure gloss varnish and the powder reduces the abrasion resistance of the surface. Always use bronze wool or pumice powder to produce a semi-gloss/matt finish. Richard Smith *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Several paddles are available with a non-glossy finish, including the rather inexpensive Bending Branches I've been using for 2 years. I don't know how the effect was produced, but judging by the amount of dust immbedded in the surfaces of those I've seen, I don't think they were hand-burnished. Mike The problem with expert advice is that it so often conflicts with one's plans. -author unknown On Thu, 23 Mar 2000, Christine Allison wrote: > In respect to semi gloss varnishes... no good for outdoor use. The semi > gloss effect is obtained by mixing a fine powder into the varnish. This has > the effect of reducing the beautiful clarity of pure gloss varnish and the > powder reduces the abrasion resistance of the surface. Always use bronze > wool or pumice powder to produce a semi-gloss/matt finish. > > Richard Smith > *************************************************************************** > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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