Would this work to protect paddle blade edge?

[Quickbeam]

Thanks Area 10.

I don't have any rail tape on my board. I was going to try going without it, and just wondered if the 3M tape on the paddle shaft would work to help protect the rails (without any rail tape on the board). In other words, I was trying to protect the board rails, not so much the paddle shaft. I gather from your answer that this might work.

Thanks.

[sxrracer]

This is the stuff you want. Hbsteve is wrong - he's probably thinking this is the thick black stuff that used to come in a package just like this and rentals sometimes use. But if you watch the video, this is basically thin helicopter tape and is pretty much indistinguishable from the RSPro blade protector that is much more expensive. It's an understandable mistake. The length should fit round most blade heads. If you put two strips on one paddle, on top of each other, you will have protected your blade well and it will hardly be noticeable unless you look carefully. It lasts a long time, unless you are paddling very rocky shores - in which case consider a paddle with a thermoplastic blade like some of the Kialoas (which are very nice), or Red Paddle make a specific river one that isn't totally tragic and is cheap.

I buy this stuff in a much longer (and a bit narrower I think) reel, and it is usefully cheaper that way per paddle. So if you can find it locally and have a couple of paddles to do, it could be worth trying to track down:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3M-84901-ScotchgardTM-Paint-Protection/dp/B0017MGPLS

Electrical tape is a lot cheaper though, and works just fine. It doesn't last as long or look as nice but you can redo it every few months for next to nothing.

I did this on my carbon paddle.  Easy and looks good.   

Thanks Area 10.

I don't have any rail tape on my board. I was going to try going without it, and just wondered if the 3M tape on the paddle shaft would work to help protect the rails (without any rail tape on the board). In other words, I was trying to protect the board rails, not so much the paddle shaft. I gather from your answer that this might work.

Thanks.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Quickbeam]

Thanks Sxrracer,

Just finished putting it on the shaft of my paddle. Went with Area 10's suggestion to  go up 12" from the blade and I agree that should be more than enough.

[toolate]

Any advice on how to apply it to a blade please?

This is the stuff you want. Hbsteve is wrong - he's probably thinking this is the thick black stuff that used to come in a package just like this and rentals sometimes use. But if you watch the video, this is basically thin helicopter tape and is pretty much indistinguishable from the RSPro blade protector that is much more expensive. It's an understandable mistake. The length should fit round most blade heads. If you put two strips on one paddle, on top of each other, you will have protected your blade well and it will hardly be noticeable unless you look carefully. It lasts a long time, unless you are paddling very rocky shores - in which case consider a paddle with a thermoplastic blade like some of the Kialoas (which are very nice), or Red Paddle make a specific river one that isn't totally tragic and is cheap.

I buy this stuff in a much longer (and a bit narrower I think) reel, and it is usefully cheaper that way per paddle. So if you can find it locally and have a couple of paddles to do, it could be worth trying to track down:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3M-84901-ScotchgardTM-Paint-Protection/dp/B0017MGPLS

Electrical tape is a lot cheaper though, and works just fine. It doesn't last as long or look as nice but you can redo it every few months for next to nothing.

[Quickbeam]

It is quite easy to apply. Here are a couple of links on how to install on car door edges. You don’t apply it the same way on a paddle blade but there are still a couple of good tips in the videos.





Follow the same basic principle when installing the tape on your paddle blade, except centre the tape on the blade edge and run it along the edge slowly. Every once in a while stop and smooth both sides over. You will get the hang of it quite quickly.

Not sure how others have been applying it, but this is what I did and it worked just fine.

Oh, and a good idea to cut the tape to the length you want before you start applying it.

[Area 10]

Here is DJ's instruction on how to apply tape to a blade. He's using electrical tape here, but the principle is the same with other kinds of tape.

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Stand%20Up%20Paddle/How-to-protect-your-paddle-blade-with-tape_7770254.aspx

It can help to warm the 3M tape very lightly first with a hair dryer. Go slowly. And don't over-stretch the tape. You need a certain degree of light tension on it as you go round, but not too much. The words to remember as you do this are "less haste, more speed". Getting it right first time is a lot easier than having to re-do sections over and over again.

But it's pretty easy. The hardest part is switching over from one side of the blade to another, if you don't have something or someone to hold the paddle for you. But once you've done one or two it becomes straightforward.

Try not to touch the sticky surface of the tape because the oils from your skin will affect the adhesion and it won't look as pretty. Some people even use rubber gloves, although I don't bother.

[mjb1959]

could you use rail tape to protect the paddle edges?
or would it be too hard to "shape" it?

[DavidJohn]

You can if you cut it in a half to three quarter inch strip.. and stretch it around the curves like you do with electrical tape.. It works fine.