paddlie tip reinforcement
paddlie tip reinforcement
Here's something that I did years ago on my wooden whitewater paddle. The edge was getting chewed up, so I fixed it with some kevlar. I took some kevlar cloth and unwove it so I had several threads. I wet out the threads (dipped them in epoxy) and laid them along the edge of the blade. One I built up a nice edge I think I put a layer of glass over it. Too be honest I can't quite remember. It has held up extremely well. Has anyone tried this type of thing? I should go out to the garage and look carefully at the paddle, it's been a few years since I paid any attention to it.
Yes.
I routinely edge my paddles with a bias cut strip of glass cloth stretched around the edge/tip of my paddles.
I sand away any varnish etc, to expose bare wood in the tip area.
4-6 ox cloth, starts out about 1 1/4" wide and 8-10" long. The bias cut lets it form to the curve of the edge. I stretch it carefully around the tip and work it as tight against the faces as I can.
Then tape the ends well away from the tip.
Wet it with the epoxy of choice, keeping the epoxy away from the tape/ends of the strip. And let set until green, then trim the edges of the epoxy/glass flush with the paddle.
Sand lightly and varnish or urethane.
Never had a tip split since I started doing this.
I routinely edge my paddles with a bias cut strip of glass cloth stretched around the edge/tip of my paddles.
I sand away any varnish etc, to expose bare wood in the tip area.
4-6 ox cloth, starts out about 1 1/4" wide and 8-10" long. The bias cut lets it form to the curve of the edge. I stretch it carefully around the tip and work it as tight against the faces as I can.
Then tape the ends well away from the tip.
Wet it with the epoxy of choice, keeping the epoxy away from the tape/ends of the strip. And let set until green, then trim the edges of the epoxy/glass flush with the paddle.
Sand lightly and varnish or urethane.
Never had a tip split since I started doing this.