Daysi Tragesser

Busy Paddle Makers

We're finally moved into our house and have "survived" the week without internet service...very pleasant actually. I think we all need some disconnect time in our busy lives. We still need to settle in a bit before I can start carving again (this time in our small but peaceful backyard...if I can only find my crooked knife packed away somewhere in the mountain of boxes lying around.

During the days before our move, I received some emails from folks showing off their latest creations. Here are some samples.

Dulce Washburn sent this photo of some commercial blades decorated with some delightful wildlife pyrography. Dig the whole idea of the animal tracks with each little creature...was planning on doing stuff like this before I started venturing off into replicating figurative native designs.


Creative paddle maker Kent Lund sent me these pics of his latest work. The Camp We-Wa-na paddle was purposely made to look weathered and worn. Kent wanted it look like it came from an old camp.

The feather paddle is made from Sassafras for an old friend. Having heard great things about this wood as for paddle carving, trying one from this wood stock is on my to do list.


The paddle on the far left is his version of the c. 1839 chip-carved historic voyageur paddle posted by the Minnesota Historical Society. His first attempt at chip-carving looks great to me and I'm anxious to experiment with this decorative technique this summer.


Kent's Chip carved paddle
Lastly, Mark from Wildpaddler.ca has been busy with some laminated designs inspired by old world tradition. Check out his posts on his Carbon Fibre straight shaft, his laminated voyageur inspired by the Voyageur art of Francis Anne Hopkins, and a Maliseet style stretched beavertail


Carbon Fibre cloth blade


Label Closeup


Voyageur style


Maliseet style