The blade and the stainless steel handle of this paddle do not come apart. There is no screw fitting. The stainless steel tubing is pressed in to the molding hydraulically, and then the internal plastic in the shank of the molding is melted and solidifies around the crimped end of the tubing. No glue is used. It is the extremely tight fitting and the melted plastic that prevent the blade from moving. Also, the join is made very tight to prevent build up of soil or moisture where the tubing joins the molding.