I've put off refinishing two old paddles of mine, and just acquired another pair. All are from an old-time Maine paddle maker who also makes fine oars: Shaw and Tenney. Those of you who don't already know them might enjoy their website. Still in the original building from 1858! https://www.shawandtenney.com/

Three of these are spruce, the third is sassafrass. All were originally finished with spar varnish. Varnish is now worn in spots--especially at the tips and where the shafts rub the gunwales on steering strokes. In a few places the wear is down into the surface of the wood.

I also need to recoat a pair of wooden snowshoes. These are modern and functional, not old classics like the paddles, but made of a hardwood (ash, I think) and "webbed" with 200 pound test monofilament fishing line.

All need refinished, and I have what should be enough Epifanes spar varnish for them all, and a local source if I need more.

Questions:
(1) Sanding. I see some online advice that suggests sanding to bare wood to remove all the varnish. But I seem to recall that one advantage of varnish is that new varnish can go on over old so long as the surface is roughened by sanding and then cleaned.
(2) Sanding #2. Without unlacing the snowshoes, there is no way I can sand them well. The mono is wrapped around the frames, to avoid the weak points that drilled holes would entail. I do not want to unlace and replace--don't know the right pattern and knots, don't have the right material, and likely can't get them nearly taut as the Canadian company that made them. And I don't want to try to sand around that monofilament and risk nicking it. Can I just scuff with steel wool to put some tooth on the old finish? Don't care what they look like--just want the wood protected. The areas that need attention are the bottoms and any wood near where my boots hit.
(3) How fine to sand before finishing? 200 grit? finer?
(4) Some online advice suggests thinning the varnish before I apply. If so, with what? Linseed oil? (Boiled or not?) Mineral spirits? How much to thin? Thin all the coats? Just the first one or two?
(5) On the paddles, I do care about aesthetics--and about smooth shafts for my hands. Some advice suggests using badger bristle brushes, which are expensive. I know I don't want to use a chip brush, and I'll spring for good brushes if needed, but looking for advice from the DHBP hive mind on a good economical but effective brush.

All advice is welcome, even if my skill set won't allow me to follow all of it. LOL.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold

Jeff,

In the wooden boat world, removing failed varnish is called "wooding". Doesn't sound like you need to do that. Where there are worn spots and the wood grain is showing, sand those spots . Depending on their condition, you may need to use about 150 grit to clean-up the spots. Don't sand any finer yet. Then, simply thin some varnish (standard mineral spirits or paint thinner should work) by about 50% and with a small brush, treat the bare areas. It will soak right in. After dry, thin the next about 25% and repeat. After dry, sand the whole paddle/snow shoe as best you can with about 220 to give the old varnish some "tooth". Brush/vacuum off sanding dust and then wipe with a tack rag (Lowes, Home Depot, hardware store etc). Now apply un-thinned varnish to whole piece. Beware of runs which is tough to do on something like a paddle. Let dry for a couple of days, lightly sand and tack, then apply your last coat. More coats will give you more durability.

Any decent brush made for oil paints will work. Some people like foam brushes for varnishing. Expensive; not necessary.

You should not have to use one of the expensive spar varnishes. They are designed to be very durable in constant weather exposure with lots of UV inhibitors to resist sunlight (the killer for nice yacht finishes).

Hope this helps.

Matt

Thanks, Matt!

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold

Jeff,
I would strongly advise AGAINST using a solvent based product on the snowshoes. I believe any solvents, will have a detrimental effect on the monofilament fishing line. I would suggest you consider a water based varnish for the snowshoes.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

I asked the manufacturer what they used--I assumed it would be epoxy, which would not be a bad idea if starting from bare wood--and they told me it was spar varnish. I'll check again with them to make sure.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold

Jeff,
I didn't say not to use a spar varnish, just to use a water based one. Minwax, Varathane, both are readily available. Once cured an oil based varnish, would not harm the monofilament line but I was under the impression you wished to apply the product without removing the line during the process.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Dave--should have clarified, when I bought these, I asked about water based vs. oil based, they said they used one that was oil based. But they might have varnished before lacing. I'll check again.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold

Will still check with the maker, but this chart suggests nylon mono is compatible with/resistant to linseed oil, mineral spirits, turpentine and most oils.

https://www.calpaclab.com/...compatibility-chart/

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold

Jeff,
Apparently it looks like it won't be an issue. I was just going on how I might treat my fishing line. (still don't think I will soak my spools of fishing line with mineral spirits)

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Come on Dave, gotta clean those reels some way! And it's such a pain to strip off the line and replace . . . . LOL.

The company responded to my email and the original varnish was oil based.

Paddle refinishing going well except for the one paddle that was still tacky when I moved them from outside to inside because we had showers in the forecast. Turns out it's a bad idea to drop something with wet varnish in a dusty corner of the barn. More sanding--but the other three are ready for a final coat.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold