Mrs Potter finds her normal blade tiring after a while, so I made this one for her. The thinking is that the centre of effort is closer to the fulcrum at the lower hand, so the load on the upper hand and arm is less. It’s also light. I didn’t expect it to be particularly powerful or dynamic. Mrs Potter finds her normal blade tiring after a while, so I made this one for her. The thinking is that the centre of effort is closer to the fulcrum at the lower hand, so the load on the upper hand and arm is less. It’s also light. I didn’t expect it to be particularly powerful or dynamic.

But it is!

I use it when Mrs P has better things to do and I paddle on my own. For now, it’s my go-to blade. An unexpected bonus, when I set off in the shallows early on a flood tide, is its use as a pole. The pointy tip engages with the firm river bed under the mud far more effectively than a broad blade, and releases easily from the mud’s gooey grip.

Maybe the Zulus were onto something.