ridge / burr
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ridge
A narrow, often sharp mountain ridge that separates two valleys or slopes.
Die Bergsteiger sicherten sich gegenseitig für die Kletterpartie über den ausgesetzten Grat.
The mountaineers secured one another for the climbing section over the exposed ridge.
a fine line
An idiom for a delicate situation in which a small mistake can have negative consequences and the boundary between two, often opposite, states is very thin.
Seine Argumentation bewegte sich auf einem schmalen Grat zwischen genialer Einsicht und reiner Spekulation.
His argument walked a fine line between brilliant insight and pure speculation.
burr
A sharp edge that forms when materials such as metal or plastic are worked, for example when sawing, drilling, or casting.
Nach dem Gießen müssen die Werkstücke sorgfältig entgratet werden, um den scharfen Grat zu entfernen.
After casting, the workpieces must be carefully deburred to remove the sharp burr.
You can recognize the meaning of 'Grat' from the context. If it is about mountains, climbing, or hiking, it means the mountain ridge. In the expression 'ein schmaler Grat' (a fine line), it refers to a delicate situation. If craftspeople are talking about metal or plastic, it means the sharp edge.
Die Wanderung auf dem Grat erfordert Schwindelfreiheit.
The hike along the ridge requires a head for heights.
In the context of mountains, 'Grat' is often described with adjectives like 'schmal' (narrow), 'scharf' (sharp), or 'ausgesetzt' (exposed). Typical verbs are 'über den Grat klettern' (to climb over the ridge) or 'dem Grat folgen' (to follow the ridge).
Die Route führt über einen langen, felsigen Grat zum Gipfel.
The route leads over a long, rocky ridge to the summit.
The idiom is almost always 'ein schmaler Grat' (a fine line). It is often expanded with the preposition 'zwischen' (between) to name the two opposites: 'ein schmaler Grat zwischen A und B' (a fine line between A and B).
Ihre Antwort war ein schmaler Grat zwischen Witz und Beleidigung.
Her answer was a fine line between wit and insult.
This meaning of 'Grat' is technical language from crafts and industrial manufacturing. The appropriate verb for removing this burr is 'entgraten' (to deburr).
An der Bohrung ist ein scharfer Grat entstanden, den man abschleifen muss.
A sharp burr has formed at the drill hole and needs to be ground off.
edge
Kante generally refers to the sharp edge where two surfaces of an object meet. Grat is more specific: it refers to a sharp raised edge that forms when metal or plastic is worked. Use Kante for the edge itself and Grat for the resulting excess material.
Nach dem Sägen blieb am Rand des Blechs ein scharfer Grat zurück, den wir entfernen mussten.
After the sheet metal was cut, a sharp burr remained along the edge, and we had to remove it.
Nach dem Sägen war die Kante des Blechs scharf und musste vorsichtig angefasst werden.
After the sheet metal was cut, its edge was sharp and had to be handled carefully.
