How to Hang Oars on a Wall

Boat Paddle Hooks - Oar Hooks - Brown County Forge - Terran Marks the Blacksmith
Our original oar hooks.

How to Hang Oars On a Wall in 4 Steps

After hammering out hundreds of pairs of boat oar hooks, I have some tips and tricks for how to hang oars on a wall.

My name is Terran Marks and I’m the blacksmith at Brown County Forge. If you have an oar to hang, here’s how I would do it.

Step 1: Measure Your Oars to Find Your Hook Width

Oar Circumference - Brown County Forge
Measuring Circumference

Not all boat paddles are the same size so you’ll need hooks that will fit your particular oar.

The easiest way to measure your oars is to measure across the oar for a diameter measurement.

Using a ruler or tape measure, rest your measuring device on top of the oar.

Where the edges of the oar handle hit is your rough diameter.

That’s the measurement we’ll use to make the hook.

The most accurate way to measure your oars is to wrap a string one time around the oar handle to find the circumference.

Then, with a little math we can find the diameter and then the hook width.

Step 2: Research Hooks Online to Find Some that Will Fit

Now that you have your measurements, you’re ready to venture into the world of hooks and hangers online.

I’m consistently amazed at the variety of ways people have come up with to keep things off the ground.

Make sure your oar hangers come with screws and that they’re the correct size and length.

  • You don’t want to have to run around to five hardware stores trying to find the right screws. *We include traditional black, slotted screws with every order.
  • You want a little bit of space around the oar shaft so it doesn’t get scraped as you put it on the hooks. I recommend looking for sizes at 1.5 inches, 2 inches, and 2.5 inches. I offer all three sizes in my Etsy shop here.

Step 3: Your Hooks Have Arrived. Now Let’s Hang Them!

Hooks to Hang Oars on the Wall
Some of my original oar hooks with hammered texture.

For the most secure mount, you will want to screw your hooks into studs.

Depending on the construction of your home, your wall studs will be either 16 inches on-center or 20 inches on-center. That just means that every 16 inches (or 20), you will hit the center of a wooden stud.

Using a stud finder is a safe bet to be sure you’re mounting into solid wood.

That last thing you want is to mount your hooks in plain drywall and risk your heavy oar coming crashing down.

I recommend drilling pilot holes first to make it easier to place your screws when it’s time.

Before you drill ANY holes, make sure your two hole heights from the floor match! Unless you want your oar to tilt, it’s best to use a tape measure to measure from the floor up to your desired oar mount height.

Mark lightly with a pencil. Then drill your pilot holes.

Step 4: Mount Your Oar or Paddle on the Wall

And that’s how to hang oars on a wall in 4 simple steps!

Now you can enjoy your securely mounted oars for years to come.

Maybe your oar is from your college days of rowing crew.

Maybe it’s an antique store find.

Or maybe it’s an authentic gondola oar from Venice to remind you of your honeymoon!

No matter the size, weight, or length, there’s a custom pair of oar hooks waiting to be made for you.

Brown County Forge’s Oar Hooks

Throughout this post, you’ve seen examples of the oar hooks I make as well as more budget-friendly options.

Steel hooks are typically the most popular. Most oars will fit in 2 inch oar hooks.

See our Oar Hooks and pricing on Etsy.

I’m Happy to Answer Any Questions

I’m always happy to answer questions about hardware and hooks.

Please email me directly at:

browncountyforge@gmail.com

Sword Sharpening Service in Indiana

Did you know that Brown County Forge offers a sword sharpening service?

Terran the Blacksmith is happy to sharpen any bladed tool from knives to axes to longswords.

Sword Sharpening Service in Indiana

Sharpening a Katana

Bloomington local David brought in seven Japanese swords for sharpening earlier this fall (2023).

They shipped from Japan with blunted edges to make importing simpler, but having them stateside without sharpened edges didn’t seem quite right.

After a few hours and approximately a week turnaround time, the seven katanas were sharpened and ready to go.

Sharpening a Katana

Sharpening a Longsword

Sword Sharpening Service Indiana - Brown County Forge

Beck brought in his longsword in June 2019.

His goal was to have it competition-ready with a clean edge and a new polish.

The sword is almost four feet long from pommel to point.

The Sword Sharpening Process

Sword Sharpener Indiana - Brown County Forge

First, Terran assesses the condition of the blade.

He observes these key points:

  • Any chips or hairline fractures.
  • Bluntness along the length of the blade.
  • Nicks and gouges on the flat of the blade.
  • Any visible rust.

Beck’s blade (the longsword above) was well-cared for so all it needed was a sharpen and polish.

To get it ready for competition, Terran follows these steps:

  1. Hand-filing the edge from hilt to point. Maintaining a micro-bevel along the length of long blades takes practice and patience.
  2. Any marks and scratches are polished out using finer and finer grits of sandpaper.
Sharpening a Cutlass
Assessing a Coast Guard cutlass to be sharpened – 2023

Next Day Service

The sword is ready for pickup the next day.

Most bladed tools will be ready within a few hours. If you arrange to drop it off in the morning, it will be ready by afternoon.

Axes or knives in very poor condition may take longer. Terran is happy to provide quotes on costs and timelines.

How Much Does It Cost?

Sharpening swords properly takes time. For a sword like Beck’s that is in good shape, it will take an hour or so.

The shop hourly rate is $55 per hour for most services.

There is a sliding scale depending on exactly what you need done and your budget.

The most important thing to Terran is that you have a functional edged tool.

Shipping a Sword for Sharpening

Depending on where you are in the United States, shipping your sword for sharpening may be your best option.

Terran recommends using USPS for better rates compared to FedEx.

FedEx is a good provider when it comes to overnight, express shipments, but is usually too expensive for everyday items.

If you need help with packaging, send Terran an email. He’s happy to provide ideas.

*The cost to ship your sword is your responsibility both ways. We recommend insurance up to the replacement value of the sword.

Sword Sharpening Blacksmith - Brown County Forge

Want to Learn More About Blades?

We cover knife making basics every Saturday throughout the year.

You will gain the knowledge you need to take care of all of your bladed tools.

You can get more information on the Classes Page.