So I'm making my own wooden paddle and am thinking about how to finish it. Should I go with epoxy or varnish? Oil seems like a pain due to maintenance but I would welcome any insight if there is a good reason to choose this finish. I usually only use my paddle once or twice a year, I put a very hard dense rot-resistant wood on the outer edges and am planning on an epoxy tip, so it shouldn't need too much protection, just a nice finish.

What finishes are recommended? Wasn't planning on glassing the blade since I made it to be tough to the point of being over-weight, so this should be straight to the wood except for the tip. What are cost differences, what maintenance would be required, and what are good products to use? I want to stick with clear coats since I'm making this look nice too and it might get hung on the wall when it is not in use.

I could also use some advice on making the tip. I'm not sure how that would work. Do I just make a rough shape then sand it to fit? Will the epoxy just bond straight to the edge of the wood?

Yes epoxy will grab ahold of the wood and Never let go. Build a “dam” out of play doh or plumbers putty to shape the tip. There’s a bunch of threads on this, so you’ll see what I mean hen you search for them. Also, mix in some wood sanding dust or sawdust in the epoxy to thicken and color it. Thickness of honey is about right for a tip.

Regarding finish. I always oil the handle and shaft. You’ll get many opinions, but the soft Finish from oil is IMO the best. Steel wool between coats to get a nice soft smooth finish. You can oil the blade as well, but I usually put polyurethane or Varnish On the blade. I tend to prefer polyurethane as it doesn’t usually tint the wood like varnish does.

I sometimes oil the the handle itself...but usually I end up using spar varnish on the whole paddle. Mine are simple, single piece, (ash or cherry usually), straight shaft paddles. I use epoxy on the tip, which helps for a while. Every season I look them over to see who might need a touch up...it is satisfying to bring an old companion back into condition.

I like spar varnish, gives it a nice shine. Scratches come out with another application if you want. As far as the edge, I use a cloth rope a tad smaller than the thickness of the paddle, soak it in resin, and put it on the outside edge of the paddle. Then my fiberglass goes over that. Makes for a nice look and very sturdy. Last few paddles I found some black and white rope at Menards and it looks great!