Woodworking Question of Sorts

[IlliniDave]

Any woodworking/restoration enthusiasts here?

I have an old wooden canoe paddle I'm working on 'restoring' enough to use it as a decoration/display item in my cabin. When new the blade was coated with lacquer (I think, but could have been varnish, I have no memory of that part, but examining the surface there are a few small "runs" that would be consistent with a slight overspray). It was a 'working paddle' on and off for 20ish years before being retired. Over time the tip had become chewed/splintered causing some cracking/peeling of the lacquer on the lower end of the blade. I've been working on sanding down the tip and would like to recoat the blade. I want to avoid sanding down the entire blade because I want to preserve the aged look of the wood and because the paddle was originally decorated with some shallow woodburning and I want to preserve the images. So my thought was to gently remove the peeling lacquer and then recoat the entire blade. Does that seem reasonable?

I would also like to coat the shaft/grip in lacquer. It was never coated to begin with, rather, I'd periodically apply linseed oil to help water guard the wood without making it slick. It's been about 17 years since the last linseed oil application. Should I anticipate any problems if I lacquer the shaft/grip it given its future will be hanging on a wall indoors (it will stay dry, humidity aside, but the temperature won't be controlled most of the year.

[IlliniDave]

Thanks, ffj. I've just been knocking off the flaking varnish without sanding, the only sanding has been on the bottom edge of the tip where the wood had got sort of "fluffy" (not sure how to describe it better), so that edge will be somewhat brighter. I'll just give it a fresh coat of varnish and see what happens.