Unfortunately, I ended up not taking any photos of the process, including the technique for carving out the angled T-grip...something I regret. But I do have pics of the final work. The artwork was inspired by my 2007 Summer trip to the High Arctic (800+ km north of the Arctic Circle). A soft eco-adventure stay at Arctic Watch Lodge included some amazing vistas, 30 polar bear sightings, a local muskox herd, and amazing birdwatching. While on a daytrip rafting down the Cunningham River back to camp, our 13yr old inuit guide spotted a lone bull muskox. We pulled ashore and stared at it for quite a while before it snorted and slowly hunkered back over the tundra. These become my inspirations for the artwork
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHPSprN7p5dPeeZrrqPPHSxbpfHQUOCHCt8kVF2xxdYsPV7TEuToA-DVUx0KolVB4IN9nRBhri47IBeMYJ_X8yYcWg-wIbYaxLwDTKMpjb3mE0mJAgdXfKp-aDiJUTWIj4_peEOKWi2U/s400/1_rs.jpg)
With the completed paddle back in August
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rj-oKwkyUMGZbfNrQgclDRNEb6tk6wAOeZgqdqcE0-_WHYttiGfKygGWeql71JoFOY0rAOyyjiPYuTAGJdWCUg2_FWvcuudPl1mPhKR3KtCHEfvQNhT8URlzodkmBtz1NxWHbFOiZO0/s400/3_rs.jpg)
The Muskox side of the blade
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEGnFAUCeu_Qt0VVcqsp4tVxH7qwuh1A9pwVjTy4R0X3q2W5oKSAh9bA_xK9pSF8ETuahHVRjMF29J28r72GKo0tJiMjYm0bcus86gkQqYLDAbgftoXsreAkPcEI4vTYlRyG1lHlbXh4/s400/2_rs.jpg)
The other side
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGildrG7rYTQo1BdFIqH7lPw1_qEl35HauxUBJcUXiPUL8QXPNb5anyDUtrOB5EvUl2jNJhejuoC8e9ubHR7nNTs5AwDxWtKdcLgWNpWkd2an0aObqJhBNGQnCAwVaJqI6E-w0SXH2sI/s400/5_rs.jpg)
The Polar Bear side of the blade
Overall, I found the maple a bit of challenge to work with, but I later found out it was because I had dulled the spokeshave blade after making 4 hardwood paddles with it...so a sharpening stone and honing guide were necessary purchases at this point to keep this hobby going. Maple is also a very dense wood, resulting in a heavier than normal paddle I would want for a whitewater run. I'm already considering making another in the future from lighter woods and laminating hardwood edging.
![](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4rXsS2OHCvI/S7KmcXnfUQI/AAAAAAAAFVI/xHUYyjB1cWE/s800/paddle_divider.jpg)
1 comment:
your blog, like your paddles are good
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