How to Remove Burrs From Hockey Skates

Burrs on your hockey skate blades are tiny metal parts extending to the left and right of the sharpened blade. These burrs, despite their small size, can seriously affect your stability while skating. Burr removal is a separate stage of the sharpening process, which requires careful movements so that you don't ruin the sharpening. The three methods to remove burrs are using burr stones, razor blades or a carbide burr-removal tool, such as the Burrmaster. After the burr-removal process, the left and right sides of the blade must form two perfect right angles with the blade's bottom, allowing you maximum precision on ice.

Things You'll Need

  • Burr stone
  • Razor blade
  • Carbide burr-removal tool
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Instructions

  1. Burr stone

    • 1

      Hold the hockey skate with your left hand, or right hand if you are left-handed, so that the bottom of the blade faces up. You can also sit on the ground and put the skate between your thighs -- this position allows you maximum precision when using the burr stone.

    • 2

      Use your index finger to feel the existence of any burrs extending to the left and the right of the blade. Burrs are small and a quick look at the blade is insufficient to spot them.

    • 3

      Gently swipe the side of the blade with the burr stone where the burr is located. Do not move the stone back and forth, but keep wiping in the same direction, just like you comb your hair.

    • 4

      Feel the side of the blade with your index finger to ensure you have remove the burr and check the bottom of the blade. Even a careful stroke can just roll the burr to the bottom of the blade instead of removing it. If the burr is rolled, swipe the blade's bottom.

    Razor Blade

    • 5

      Hold the skate upside down or put it between your thighs. Feel the blade with your fingers to detect any burrs.

    • 6

      Hold the razor firmly. Its flat side should touch the blade's side surface, about an inch away from the burr. Slide the razor toward the burr to cut it off of the blade.

    • 7

      Repeat the process to remove all burrs from the blade. Feel the blade with your index finger to ensure all burrs have been cut off.

    Carbide Burr-Removal Tool

    • 8

      Wear your skates and place the burr-removal tool on the ground. Turn the carbide part so that it is parallel to the tool's straight-line trench, which is intended to fit the blade.

    • 9

      Place the tip of the blade on the tool's trench and slide the skate forward. Be careful not to lift the blade from the trench. As you slide the skate on the tool, the carbide part swipes off any burrs on the side of the blade.

    • 10

      Turn the tool around and repeat the process, so that the carbide now removes burrs from the other side of the blade. When you are finished, feel the blade with your index finger to ensure the blade is free of burrs.