How do you refurbish a canoe paddle?

Wipe off dust. Apply two or three thin coats of solvent based (not water based) outdoor or marine grade polyurethane. Allow several hours between coats for drying, rub lightly with fine (220) abrasive before each new coat for a better finish.

What is the best wood to make a canoe paddle out of?

The best wood species for paddles are both strong and lightweight. Mike’s go-to choice is basswood. Other popular options include white cedar and Alaskan yellow cedar. These woods tend to have less character to their grains, but they are light- weight and easy to shape.

How do you refinish wood oars?

Here’s How:

  1. Set up to work outdoors for sanding.
  2. Get a two or three sheets of both 60 and 120 grit sandpaper for each oar.
  3. Blow sawdust off with canned air or compressor and clean with denatured alcohol.
  4. Recover the rope wraps, handles or portions of the wooden oar you do not want stained with painter’s tape.

What is the best finish for a canoe paddle?

Unlike some other oils, Pure Tung Oil has a long lifespan and doesn’t darken your wood, but if you want a darker hue, consider using Dark Tung Oil for finishing canoe paddles.

What do you coat a canoe paddle with?

You may use a fine marine tung oil product like Behr or boiled linseed oil. For more tips on oiling your Badger Paddle, please visit our maintenance page. To truly keep your paddle in it’s best condition, a varnished paddle should be checked for any “scars” from use at the end of every season.

Can you make a canoe paddle out of pine?

Hardwoods such as ash, walnut, cherry, maple provide stiffness and strength and durability, while softwoods such as cedar, fir, pine, basswood offer lightweight and flex. There’s no prescribed or universal formula to building a laminated paddle. This process can make strong paddles but often at a weight penalty.

How do you protect a wooden paddle?

Dabbing an exterior grade varnish or polyurethane on the bare wood can cover small dings in your paddle. Be sure to let the water in the wood dry out before applying the finish. Larger abrasions may require sanding to obtain a smooth surface.

How do you finish a canoe paddle?

Touch Up: seal any exposed wood with varnish on a regular basis. Lightly sand area, apply a diluted (by 10%) coat of finish and let dry. Lightly sand area again and apply a full strength coat of varnish. Complete Refinish: strip all finish off the paddle using sand paper.

Is there a way to restore a wooden canoe?

My best friend’s family has a pair of great canoes of which my friend and I take advantage often. However, the vintage paddles which accompany them have long ago worn into disrepair. Therefore, I repaired and refinished them. Hopefully my process can help guide you on your own wooden paddle repair.

What do you use to repair a canoe paddle?

Saw dust was used to remove excess glue, and wood filler was used to fill holes where the handle was repaired and other small gaps where cracks were repaired. Finally, I hand sanded the paddles one last time to remove extra wood filler and glue, and to provide a good surface for finishing.

Are there any problems with wooden canoe paddles?

However, the vintage paddles which accompany them have long ago worn into disrepair. Therefore, I repaired and refinished them. Hopefully my process can help guide you on your own wooden paddle repair. One of the most obvious problems with the paddles was a missing chunk of a handle.

Where can I learn to make a canoe paddle?

Learn to make a traditional solid wood canoe paddle, a tool that travelers in these parts have been making and using for hundreds of years. There’s a special place on the shore of Lake Superior, in Grand Marais, Minnesota, that combines the loves of handmade crafts, the outdoors and northern traditions.