Advice on carving a paddle?

[Janne]

For a first try, maybe easier to make one from two parts?
It always looks so easy to watch an expert creating something. My workshop is half full of stuff where I got stuck, or that look like cat poo.

 

[Robson Valley]

Google UBC/MOA. All the old paddles are one piece.
The wood was split, not sawn, to make a radial slab. The spine extends the entire length of the paddle.
Split that way keeps the shearing strength while the carving is really easy to do.

I think that there were 2 kinds of paddles here in the PacNW,
one for every day travels and another used on ceremonial occassions.

 

[Janne]

For sure, but they were carved by experts.
Who were taught hands - on by experts.

 

[mr dazzler]

I made a moctogan knife from a spear and Jackson spade, in a tiny tin can forge. The steel is something else. When it was a spade you could bend that thing if it was levering between 2 heavy stones or something, and it would keep its shape and spring right back, plus some areas of the forging were thin, the thicker areas made one or 2 elbow adze blades
A mate of mine (now deceased) was an expert olympic standard kayaker. At school in 1975 or76 he made a 2 bladed kayak paddle with an ash handle and cedar blades, lanimated with cascamite glue

 

[demographic]

I'm not trying to belittle all this carving and so on but my brother with very little carpentry tools just had a go.
Started making paddles and says its really not that hard.
The materials are cheap and his results are pretty damn good.

He's a very practical bloke and sharp enough but the main thing he says is just give it a go.

 

[Stew]

Good stuff. Sometimes you've gotta just do the do rather than worrying about the waffle.

Back when I made a wooden paddleboard I wanted to make a wooden paddle as well. I've progressed too far past a wooden one being practical for my use (now use a lightweight carbon fibre one) but still plan to make one for the aesthetics. Probably won't be carved though - table saw to make some 'birds mouth' sections that will leave a hollow core.