Skates are arguably the most important piece of equipment to a hockey player, and that’s just another reason why it’s vital to take good care of them! Whether you’re perfecting your sharpening technique or need to fix a nick in your blade last minute, skate stones are a great addition to your hockey bag.

Why Use a Skate Stone?

You might be wondering, “Why use a skate stone if I take my skates to get sharpened?” Well, the answer is burrs. Burrs are rough edges or ridges on the skate blade that can occur from a standard skate sharpening. The blade sharpening process involves the grinding of your blade’s steel, which can cause metal debris and shavings to build up on your skate edges. This is where the skate stone, or deburring stone, comes in handy!

Choosing the Right Stone

Now let’s get into the nitty grit-ty. Grit is a rating of the size of abrasive materials on the skate stone. Low grit ratings mean the abrasive is coarser and will remove your blade’s steel at a faster rate. High grit ratings mean the abrasive is finer, which creates a smooth finish on your steel. Here at Howies Hockey Tape we have both a Coarse Skate Stone and a Fine Skate Stone. Our Coarse Skate Stone is 100-grit and is designed to remove larger nicks and burrs. Our Fine Skate Stone is 280-grit and is designed for a nice, even finish.

In addition to our Coarse and Fine Skate Stones, we also offer a Tear-Drop Skate Stone and a Rubber Skate Stone. Our Tear-Drop Skate Stone has a 320-grit rating, making it the least abrasive; perfect for gentle deburring and a clean edge! The unique tear-drop shape allows for repair work on your skate’s hollow as well as easy use and better grip. And last but not least, the Rubber Skate Stone. This is the only skate stone that is safe to use on black, colored, and DLC (diamond-like carbon) coated steel. The Rubber Skate Stone is just like it sounds, rubber. With no grit rating and a gentle abrasive, the Rubber Skate Stone won’t scratch the color or DLC coating on your blades, prolonging their life and look! 

 

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