1. Wood



Obviously the most important thing is a board big enough to make your paddle from (preferably dry to prevent warping later). All of the boards I used were sassafras and roughly ~ 7.25' long, ~8" wide, and 2" thick. Sassafras was not generally used for canoe paddles by Native Americans because for the most part they grow in the Midwest and Southeastern portion of the United States. A lot less paddling goes on around those parts, real "canoe country" is farther north in the Great Lakes area, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. But many claim that sassafras has some of the best properties for single piece wooden paddles. It's lighter than ash (commonly used for canoe paddles), has nearly the same amount of flex, and contains natural oils that are rot resistant. Some other types of wood that can be used (from what I've heard) are ash, hard maple, and white birch.

2. Tools

All you technically need is a knife or a sharp rock. People have carved paddles that way for thousands of years and still do (many take the hand-carving approach). But if you don't want to take a lifetime completing this project and are fond of your power tools (and can afford the luxury) here are a few things I found useful:

Powered hand planer

Random orbital sander

Jigsaw

Some other optional ones discussed later

This is not the definitive list of tools for making a paddle. This is a combination of what I already had and what I bought (any excuse for new tools!) to complete the project. Many combinations of these things and other tools I didn't have can be used. Basically use whatever you can get your hands on that will make the job easier.

3. Other Materials

Sandpaper

Wood Stain

Wood Finish

And of course standard safety gear: breathing mask/respirator, eye protection, earplugs, gloves (useful at times), etc. Or if you laugh in the face of danger and don't value your lungs, eyesight, hearing, or long-term health, feel free to skip this step.