A technical dictionary of printmaking, André Béguin.
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Burr
In metal engraving the burr is the uneven border of a line caused by the passage of a tool. After penetrating into the plate the tool leaves burrs on both sides of the line. The graver* leaves very little burr and usually only causes a slight raising of the plate surface aroung the line. Most of the metal cut out of the plate is removed and rolled up in a thin thread in front of the graver. Drypoint* on the other hand leaves alot of burr which is usually kept because it catches the ink when the plate is wiped* and gives a velvety line texture so characteristic of this technique. Nevertheless engravers sometimes decide to remove the burr,produced by their drypoint (as is done in engraving), with a scraper so that it becomes difficult to distinguish a drypoint from an engraving when it is printed. In punch* engraving or in the dotted* manner, both of which consists in jabbing the end of a tool into the plate (by hand or using a hammer), the burr is formed around the holes made by the hand-punch or the punch and hammer. The term used to denote the removing of the burr is scraping. The left over burr is very fragile and will not resist the pressure of printing for more than twenty impressions. The burr is slowly pressed down onto the lines and tends to close them up. In order to circumvent this drawback drypoints are usually steelfaced as this allows for a great number of printings.
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