Each of the paddles gets the tip placed into a little mold, into which is poured tinted epoxy. A little silica is added to thicken it, but also because the silica seems to help prevent the colour from wicking up the end grain of the wood.

I use black because black just goes with everything!

After the epoxy cures, the mold is removed and the paddle blade is carved. I use an angle grinder with a 5", 24 grit disc. I have a LOT of practice with this tool and can get the results that I want pretty fast. I do not recommend it to beginners. Fast tools make fast mistakes, and it can be dangerous.

Once the blade is shaped, I cut a slot across the paddle tip and then insert a fiberglass plate. This holds the whole thing together and prevents the wood from ever splitting. If it ever does, then the plate keeps it from splitting off. The epoxy looks messy because I smear some of it around on the epoxy tip to fill in any small air bubbles that were trapped in the pour.

A bunch of paddles looking pretty, waiting for more attention!

A detail shot of the grips awaiting sanding.