: I thought I would really like the oiled Greenland Paddle. It's grip (feel) is
: nice and it's kind of maintenance free but it gets dirty. Black from my
: paddling gloves has come off on the loom, and if you brace into mud it
: stains it and makes the paddle beat and old looking in a hurry. My epoxy
: and varnish paddles always look good. I think when I make a few this year
: I'll use the epoxy/varn. finish. I use matt Varn. and steel wool the loom
: with 000 woll and I get a nice grip anyhow.
: Maybe a dark cedar oiled one will keep it's look better than my spruce one.

Jay,

Just imagine how much happier you would be with a minor "paradigm shift". Repeat after me: "Weathered, dirty paddles are beautiful. Weathered paddles are easier to hold, have character and have many more stories to tell than a shiny, 'furniture-grade' paddle". Chant this mantra ten times. There. Don't you feel better now, and just think of all the time you will save for paddling

Actually I really do find my dark, oiled cedar paddles to be very attractive, but then I don't fancy the hard finishes. However, I also avoid mud braces (and mud rolling and mud wrestling for that matter)!

Greg Stamer