Tools for a canoe paddle

[Matt Rogers]

I have been reading up on carving canoe paddles and have decided that this will be my next project. I have secured some ash that is 4/4. While this might be a little thin, I can probably make a decent paddle with it because it is just a little "over" 4/4.

My question to you folks is what are the best tools to tackle this project, and are the tools I have enough to tackle the carving of the blank into a paddle.

This is what I have currently:
Rasps and files of many different styles
Stanley low angle hand plane (the new ones that are English)
#4 Stanley plane from the late 50's
Stanley #51 spokeshave
Powersander and detail sander (if it comes to this)
Handsaws and a back saw to handle the roughing out of the blank
EDIT: I also have a draw knife.

I guess I am asking if I need a round bottom spokeshave or a concave bottom spokeshave. Are these necessary? Will they be an asset in the hands of a newbie?

Thanks for the advice.

--Matt Rogers
Western Michigan

[harry strasil]

Turning bow saw, drawknife, spokeshave and if you finish it like the old mountain men and some Indian cultures, a piece of leather and some sand to "sand" it smooth with.
If you want to really go period, just a stick of wood, a hatchet and the leather and sand.

[Matt Rogers]

Harry,
Good information! I am trying to be a little neanderthal, but mostly I just want to do the job "right". I am not quite to the point where I could take a hatchet and a tree and get anything other than toothpicks of various sizes....maybe someday though. I do have access to TONS of sand though, I might try this technique out on this project.
Any other wit and wisdom you could pass my way would be much appreciated!
Thanks again,
--Matt Rogers

[harry strasil]

Well just picture yourself out 500 miles from home with ur canoe loaded with the winters haul of pelts and your heading down the big muddy to sell them and ur paddle either brakes or accidently gets lost, all you have is ur belt knife, a tomahawk and a few supplies, you gonna have to do something to make ur canoe navigable or walk.

When I started my smithing apprenticeship, our smith shop did not have an abundance of modern tools and you did with what you had, its seems like the hard way to do things, especially as you obtain new modern tools and skills to do your work. That's fine while you are in the shop, but I did about 50% of my work in the early days of owning my own business from a 1 ton service truck at the customers place or out in a field somewhere as the equip was too large or too badly damaged to get it to the shop. So the early years of doing without all the modern conviences allowed me to do a good job with what I had available at the time. And I very seldom had to got get special tools from my shop. Just use your imagination all the time and it will come up with a solution to your problems.

[David Gendron]

I Matt, I made a few paddles, and the tools I used are: Ax, draw knife or crouked knife, flat spoke shave and concave(for the shaft) one, sand paper or as Jr. said or use the dried shavings and rub wood with it! 4/4 is plenty for a canoe paddle.
Keep us posted on your progress!

[Johnny Kleso]

PM Bob Smalser
A few years back he made some great looking boat oars and posted a picturial on how to make them he is an expert boatwright

Googled it up
http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3422&highlight=Simple+Pair+Seven-foot+Oars

[Bruce Haugen]

what you need is what Jr. laid out for you. I often think it's not a good idea for a newbie to have every tool imaginable. It's better for you to learn to use what you have. All you need is to be able to cut the profile and then carve away anything that is not a paddle. It doesn't take any planes to do that, except if you want to call a spokeshave a plane. BTDT several times over, including double-bladed paddles.

[Michael Peet]

Hi Matt,

I have made a number of kayak paddles, and the spokeshave is my most-used tool for the task. In fact I keep two of them (both 51s) nearby - one set for a deep cut and the other a fine cut.

I wouldn't think you would need a concave or round bottom shave for a canoe paddle. You might consider a shaving horse however; it's really useful for this.

Mike

[Matt Rogers]

Thanks for all the wisdom and advice. I really appreciate it.

Looks like I will be tearing onto some ash this weekend! (Which for me is actually Thursday and Friday this week.)

I might try a small one, for my daughter, with a knife and an hatchet, just to see what I end up with.

--Matt

[John Powers]

I have the Lee Valley concave spokeshave. It is probably expensive but for the shafts of paddles and oars it is really a blessing. My bandsaw is handy for getting the basic shape out but something in the turning saw/coping saw family would do the trick. Making Canoe Paddles is available on Amazon used for $15.00 or so. Might be useful.

[Matt Rogers]

John,
Thanks for the lead on the book. I just requested it from the library, online. It should be sent to my local branch in a couple of days. even faster than buying one, I think!
--Matt Rogers.

[Johnny Ramon]

When I did my Greenland kayak paddle I found my block plane did the lion's share of the work.

[Randy Reitz]

Looks like I will be tearing onto some ash this weekend! (Which for me is actually Thursday and Friday this week.)



How about on Ash Wednesday?

Sorry, couldn't help it.

[Bob Easton]

It depends.....
Your tool list is plenty adequate for most paddles. I've done a couple of paddles with about the same set of tools. The spokeshave and the block plane were the most used. "Jr" Strasil is right, you can do a lot with the basics.

Some have mentioned a concave plane for the shafts. Naw. The block plane can do them just as well.

The "depends" part comes in when you decide the profile of the working end of the paddle. Will you use a shape similar to the one in the Smalser tutorial mentioned earlier? Or, will you want a spoon shape?

If you want a spoon shape, then one more tool might be handy for hollowing out that spoon shape. I asked about tools for making the spoon shape in this thread: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=121485 a few months ago.

The best answer was Smalser's (again) suggestion of using Snell Atherton cobbler shaves. Since then, I have acquired a couple and they work wonderfully .... in soft woods. I have not tried them in Ash and am skeptical that it might be too hard. (I've used cedar and spruce for paddles.)

No matter what tools you ultimately use, I hope you'll find as I did that making paddles is very enjoyable

[Tom Wiarda]

Matt, where in West Mich are you? I am in Rockford. I made a Greenland style paddle last year out of a piece of clear, straight-grained cedar and used mostly a drawknife, spokeshave, smooth plane and block plane. It turned out nice. The only problem is I can't figure out how to put on a drip ring. When I use it the water runs off the blade and into my lap. I still have the booklet of plans if you want to use it. Thanks, Tom

[Matt Rogers]

Tom,
I am over in Grand Haven. Great to hear that I am not the only one "up here" on the board. Which booklet did you use?


Bob,
I am planning on doing a straight paddle with no spoon to the blade at all. Maybe the next one will have a little bit of dish to it.

--Matt Rogers

[Michael Peet]

The only problem is I can't figure out how to put on a drip ring. When I use it the water runs off the blade and into my lap. I still have the booklet of plans if you want to use it. Thanks, Tom

I have seen small bits of rope or cloth recommended for drip rings on GPs. I've never tried it though so YMMV. Bear in mind they could interfere with some of the sliding strokes prevalent in Greenland-style paddling. As an alternative, you could wear a spray deck. You will definitely want one if you get into edging and leaning for boat control.

Nice to see some other paddlers around here. :)

Mike

[Tom Wiarda]

Matt, I should have read your original post more closely. You are building a canoe paddle and the one I built was a kayak paddle. Still, the tools and techniques are the same. I just finished restoring a 1939 cedar and canvas canoe so its probably time for me to make a canoe paddle as well.

Mike, most of my paddling is on flat water or slower rivers so I don't usually use a spray skirt. I built a cedar strip kayak a few years ago so I prefer a wooden paddle. That's why a make a Greenland type. I like it except for the drips.

[Matt Rogers]

Well, I started today.

I am starting with a 40" paddle for my daughter. I figure that it will be good to practice on and I won't feel bad when she paddles rocks and stuff with it this summer.

I used a combination of sawing cuts perpendicular to the shaft and hatcheting out in between and straight sawing to make the blank.

Thanks for all the information. The project has begun!

--Matt Rogers

[David Gendron]

Show us your progress if you can and want!

[Matt Rogers]

David,
Yeah, I think I can do that. I will post a few pictures today, after I go to the library and pick up my book.
--Matt Rogers

[Matt Rogers]

Okay here are a few pictures of the paddle that I am making for my daughter.

The paddle is just under 40" overall. It is going to have an oval blade and a standard type "touring" grip that matcher her littler hands. The blade is laid out to be racetrack shape (a semi-circular shape to both ends). Hopefully I will be able to get the weight down and she will actually be able to use it this summer. The paddle that is next to the blank on the wall is a 54" paddle.

--Matt Rogers

[Matt Rogers]

Apparently, this project has taken about 40 days. All things considered, that is not too bad. I am training at work, and it took a downturn, the kids were sick a couple of days, and various other calamities have befallen me.....but none the less, the paddle is nearing completion.

I am at work right now, on break of course, and I will post pics when I get a chance this weekend.

--Matt Rogers:D

[Matt Rogers]

Okay, so I just finished the paddle. It is a little rougher than I would like, but I think it will be nice and serviceable for our 3 year old to splash mom and sister....I mean paddle the canoe. Last time we went out, she found out how little effort it takes to soak mom and baby sister with 55 degree Michigan lake water.

The paddle weighs in at 14.4 ounces, which is a little heavy for little hands, but I needed to make it sturdy enough to smack rocks and the side of the canoe, and Daddy's knees and other hard things that one finds in and around a canoe. It balances just about perfectly though, so I am happy that I was able to work that out at least. The only problem is that the blade and the handle are twisted maybe 5 degrees or so, but for my first paddle, I am very pleased with the way it turned out. All that I had to do was remove all the wood that wasn't a paddle....it was easy!

--Matt Rogers

147585

147586

[Von Bickley]

Matt,
If you are interested in canoe paddles or canoes, check out this site. I think his last canoe sold for about $160,000.00

http://www.woodsongcanoes.com/wood_song_contents.htm

[Dan Andrews]

Looks like a real nice little paddle Matt. I have never made an all ash paddle. You may want to make a paddle with a spruce shaft and cedar blade sometime. It is probably easier than the paddle you just completed and lighter.

[Matt Rogers]

Von, 160 grand for a canoe seems a little steep....I hope that you get what you pay for though, they look really beautiful. I would hate to drag a hundred thousand dollars worth of canoe over a sandy beach.

Dan, I have some nice ash for a six footer for myself. I thought that would be a good second project. I am thinking about maybe making a cedar paddle for my wife, maybe an ash or spruce shaft.

The princess' paddle is in the finishing department right now getting rubbed down with a walnut oil and beeswax finish. Walnut is not an overly durable oil finish, but it is pretty light and easily applied and re-applied. The beeswax makes it a little more durable.

--Matt

[Von Bickley]

Von, 160 grand for a canoe seems a little steep....I hope that you get what you pay for though, they look really beautiful. I would hate to drag a hundred thousand dollars worth of canoe over a sandy beach.

Dan, I have some nice ash for a six footer for myself. I thought that would be a good second project. I am thinking about maybe making a cedar paddle for my wife, maybe an ash or spruce shaft.

The princess' paddle is in the finishing department right now getting rubbed down with a walnut oil and beeswax finish. Walnut is not an overly durable oil finish, but it is pretty light and easily applied and re-applied. The beeswax makes it a little more durable.

--Matt

Most of his canoes never get wet. People buys them for art or display.

[Matt Rogers]

Most of his canoes never get wet. People buys them for art or display.


What a shame. A canoe that never gets to see the water....poor little canoes. :(

--Matt

[Bob Easton]

Matt,
If you are interested in canoe paddles or canoes, check out this site. I think his last canoe sold for about $160,000.00

http://www.woodsongcanoes.com/wood_song_contents.htm

Gheesh! One would expect that someone with such an "artistic" interest, and such expensive products, could afford a real website, instead of the 1976 version he has. Pretty canoes.

Matt,
Very nice work! Keep at it. I find paddle making very enjoyable and every paddle seems an improvement on the previous one. Hope the same works out for you.

[Matt Rogers]

Bob,
I noticed that too. The website was pretty hard to navigate.
--Matt