Paint a prop?

I recently acquired an Evinrude 25HP and the prop is a little beat up. I found a replacement on Ebay and it will be here soon. The pictures on Ebay show it with no paint what so ever. What is a good paint to use to give it a bit of protection? It will never see salt water while I own it, but don’t think a bare aluminum prop is a good idea. Is an epoxy paint a viable option? I plan to take my old prop to the Prop Shop, a local fellow who rebuilds propellers and is always in high demand. I understand his turn-around time on a prop for a bass boat (lots around here) is over two months.

Sure its not a SS prop you ordered?

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=361260#p361260 said:

BigRedObsession » 28 Jul 2014, 10:36[/url]"]Sure its not a SS prop you ordered?

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Absolutely positive. If I end up with a SS 9'X11" three bladed prop for $50 delivered I will more surprised than anyone.
Here is the EBay listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/301254694775?item=301254694775&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:L:OU:US:1120&vxp=mtr

I'm dinging props on a regular basis.(aluminum)
The guy that repairs them got me just hits them with some rustOleum paint...rust metal paint.
Never comes off till I ding it again,

One vote for a bare polished aluminum prop. Paint is only good to easily tell you where it's chipped . . . and I guess it looks pretty.

I'd run it as is. I've never been lucky painting a prop. in my case it always flakes off.

IMO - painting an aluminum prop is mainly for cosmetics. While parked in your yard, it will look neat.
then, after you run it, it needs a fresh quick spray to maintain the neatness look.
I just grab a can of RustO Black, psssttttt, done.

now, if you leave it in the water for any length of time, especially salt water,
it might be a good preservative measure to zinc chromate it and epoxy it.

but, eventually, even epoxy will wear off, then, you do it all over again.
Just one of the fun parts of messing around with your boat

Paint it silver. Then you get the best of both worlds...
1. Something "boaty" to do (that isn't really needed).
2. A prop that looks perpetually "metally."

polish it when you get it.

Seen many a polished SS prop, but NEVER a polished AL prop. IMO, Aluminum is beautiful when polished to a high luster!

That is a 'weedless' prop in the ebay listing. These work well in weeds...but the performance is sacrificed in relation to more efficient 'standard' blade designs. I would keep looking for a standard prop in good condition. Use this one for a spare or when your in weedy lakes.

Well the prop came in and after cleaning it a bit, it is painted - Grey. I took it and my original prop the Prop Shop and had him check it and he announced it fine. Then he took my dinged up prop and straightened it and made the edges smooth ($10). It was not a complete overhaul, but he said it will work fine. He also said to make sure I checked the "new" prop as soon as possible to be sure the hub is not slipping. I just got back from Buckhorn Bay on Kentucky Lake where the new prop performed flawlessly. I will keep my original as a spare.

And thanks B2F for the identification - I knew it was different some how.