-- Last Updated: Oct-31-12 11:07 AM EST --
I have coated the tips of my guide-boat oars with marine-grade J-B Weld. I had no concern about "matching the color", but I did give the job a somewhat-neat appearance by masking the edges with tape before applying the coating. These oar blades have much tougher edges than most paddles and are not prone to chipping or denting, but abrasion from sand or gravel in shallow water can be a problem (I don't want the wood to soak up water every time the varnish starts wearing off). The J-B Weld is holding up pretty well, and it should be easy to fix any locations that wear though.