: I built a Greenland paddle over the weekend and need advise on how best to
: finish it. I like the look of an oiled finish, and like the durability and
: waterproof nature of epoxy/varnish. I am also considering putting
: fiberglass tape on the blade tips. Can someone point me to a website that
: addresses my issues? I'd appriciate any feedback and experience anyone can
: share.
: Thanks,

: Fritz

go with the oil finish. the best one I know of is watco, it's a mixture of oils and it has rosin in it, which eliminates the oily feel. basicaly it soaks into the wood, and the rosin drys the oil up on the surface of the wood. makes for a very nice finish. we wet sand all the gunnals of the canoes that come into our shop with it. It makes them look and feel much nicer, if you use varnish or some finish on the paddle, you should at least leave the hand grip area unfinished, it is a much nicer feel without varnish.