Come see Badger Paddles at the Toronto Boat Show

If you are in the G.T.A. this week - be sure to stop by the Toronto Boat Show*.  Badger Paddles will be represented at the Swift Canoe & Kayak booth by Mike as well as the very knowledgeable Swift Staff.  Swift has some great deals on canoes, kayaks and of course - Badger Paddles - lined up for you boating enthusiasts.... a great time to get a great price!

Besides a great line-up of boats, Badger Watercolours and even some paddles with custom hand-painted graphics will be available - each paddle a completely one-of-a-kind piece of art.  Lots of beautiful cherry paddles too.  Also available are many with our hand-rubbed varnished blades - a highly demanded paddle finish so be sure to get there early in the week to ensure the best selection!


A grand tradition - the boat show is sure to please you and your family during this cold winter weather and take you into the world of boating again.  Visit the Swift website or call their store (1-800-661-1429) for more information or click here to visit the TBS website for ticket information.


*The TBS runs from January 9 - 17, 2010 at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place in Toronto.

Canoe Paddle Maintenance Tips - Oil or Varnish

Every day brings us closer to snow and frozen waterways which also brings our paddling season to an official close. Although there is still open water at the moment, the days have become too cold, for most of us, to get out on the water. Putting our gear away for the season and our end-of-season equipment maintenance is usually done around this time of year for all, except the hard-core paddler. So when packing away your tents and canoes for the season - don’t overlook your paddles! Keeping that in mind, we are offering the following End-of-season and other Badger Canoe Paddle Care Tips for our customers.

Care of your Badger Canoe Paddle(s)

Hand-Rubbed Oiled Paddles**

The amount of maintenance that an oiled paddle needs depends on the amount of use it gets in a season. For instance, a paddle that is to be used daily or up to 4 days/week, we recommend oiling your paddle every few weeks or as needed. For paddles used only on the weekends or less, Badger Paddles recommends you re-oil your paddle every one to 2 months or as needed. Even if your oiled paddle is only used once in a year, we recommend you oil your paddle at the begining and end of every season at minimum, or as needed. You may use a fine marine tung oil product like Behr or boiled linseed oil. For more tips on oiling your Badger Paddle, please visit our maintenance page.

Hand-Rubbed Varnished Blades & Varnished Blades**

To truly keep your paddle in it’s best condition, a varnished paddle should be checked for any “scars” from use at the end of every season. “Scars” include nicks or heavy scratches or other abrasions in the varnish finish. “Scars” can be caused by coming into contact with rocks or other hard surfaces while in use or at play. These “scars” should be sanded out first (if possible) and the entire varnished surface be given a light sanding with a fine sand paper. This helps the new coat of marine-grade varnish that now must be applied to have better surface adhesion.

You may only want to "feather-out" the scar by sanding lightly.  Not only will this be easier but it will allow a natural patina to acquire on your paddle.  These scars may even hold memories for you.  In the case of really deep scars, you may need to fill with a coloured wood filler, sanding level before finishing with a good quality marine grade varnish.  

Before varnishing, wipe clean with a soft cloth or a tack rag to remove any surface dust. If you are only varnishing the blade of your paddle - use painters tape to give a clean edge-line to your finish. Using a brush made of natural fibre or sponge, brush on the varnish according to the manufacturers directions. Hang to dry in a dust free environment.


For a full look at varnishing a paddle, watch our video "How To Varnish A Wood Canoe Paddle (At Home)".

Please note all our varnished blades come with an oiled shaft and grip, except for WaterColours. We do offer a fully varnished paddle as a special order. For tips on how to maintain your oiled shafts and grip, please refer to the Oiled Paddles section above.

Storage of your Badger Paddle(s)

Because Badger Paddles are solid wood canoe paddles, it is best to hang them from their grip(s) or lay them down. This is especially true for long term storage, for if a solid wood paddle is left leaning for too long a period - it may warp.

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Don’t want to do the maintenance? We can do it for you as we also offer paddle refinishing. Contact us at info@badgerpaddles.com for more details.

**Caution: Always work in a well ventilated area when using any of the products needed to maintain your Badger Paddles. Also note the products used to maintain your paddles are flammable and subject to spontaneous combustion. All rags, especially those used to oil paddles, must be spread out to dry completely before disposing of for safety purposes.

Hand-rubbed Varnish Finishes - Our Unique Specialty

Have you ever heard of a hand-rubbed varnish finish before?

What is it?

A hand-rubbed varnish finish is another term used to describe a fine polishing by hand.

This technique (hand-rubbed varnish finishes) has been taught over four generations at Badger & Son's and was passed down from Great Grampa Sidney Badger. For a full history of Badger & Son and our family please visit the Badger & Son Website.

Badger Paddles - Hand-Rubbed Varnished Blades

Our paddles are treated to a high quality finish - like that used on furniture. Our hand-rubbed varnished paddles are strong and smooth to the touch yet our finishing process helps to eliminate some of that "slippery" feeling when wet (like a regular varnish finish). You can see where the varnish ends the the hand-rubbed oiled shaft and grip begins.

After being given 3 coats of a high quality marine varnish - our paddles are left to dry. Once the proper amount of time has been given for the finish to cure, we begin our hand-rubbed treatment.

Polished smooth to the touch, this hand-rubbed technique gives the strong varnish, a silky smooth texture and high-quality finish. Many people may have noticed the finishes on their

varnished paddles from other paddle-crafters may have

defects like bubbles or maybe a hair from the brush or drip marks. Our hand-rubbed varnish finish is without these issues.

When you feel the hand-rubbed varnished blade of a Badger Canoe Paddle is becomes a pleasurable tactile experience. We fall in love with nearly every paddle we rub down... it is hard to see them go out the door sometimes. But we love to hear from our customers how delighted they are with their purchase and how much they love the hand touch we bring to all our paddles.

For more information about our varnish finishes please contact us. If you would like the paddle you already own to be given a similar treatment - please know we also do PADDLE REFINISHING. Contact us for more detail.

We offer hand-rubbed varnished blades with oiled grips and shafts, however, we will do a hand-rubbed varnish finish on the entire paddle as a custom order if desired.