What to do with an old paddle?

[monkitoucher]

I ended up getting this paddle in a package deal when I bought my OTCA. It's a pretty little thing. Nice patina. Good feel in the hand. Pretty lite.

What should I do with it? Should I use it? Structurally, it's sound. It could use a bit of varnish to protect it from water or being knocked about.

I've used it as a pattern for a couple of basswood paddles that I made for my friend and his wife.

 

[samb]

Looks just the thing for an Otca 17.

 

[MGC]

From my experience, if you lean it in a corner in your garage it will multiply and one will become 10 and 10 will become 30. Several will find their way into your house and take their place next to old guide boat oars and duck decoys.
Yours has already become 3 ...30 is not too far behind.

 

[Benson Gray]

I agree with MGC and the picture at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?attachments/33231/ shows what has happened in my garage over the past few years. I even wound up with a nursery for the smaller ones as shown at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?attachments/33230/ upstairs. Good luck,

Benson

 

[Craig Johnson]

Were going down that road huh. Garage, and a few made it into the house.

 

[Rob Stevens]

Apparently,...

 

[pklonowski]

They're like canoes... you always need one more...

 

[crosscuts]

Any beautiful piece of wood is in danger of being carved.
R.C.

 

[Greg Nolan]

From my experience, if you lean it in a corner in your garage it will multiply . . .

Any corner in your house or basement will do -- at least 3 paddles have joined this group since this picture was taken a while back.

 

[fred capenos]

On the ceiling on my back porch works for me....

 

[pklonowski]

Okay, it's time for me to get rid of the teevy & teevy stand (hasn't been turned on in months anyway) and put a paddle stand in the family room... Hanging them in piles in the garage just won't do any more...

 

[cmandan]

New member here. Just roaming around to get familiar with the culture!

 

[ppine]

I would use it. Repair the handle with some epoxy mixed with saw dust.
Try some finish restorer like Formbys, which will clean up the old varnish without removing all of it.
A nice lake paddle.