What Is a Razor Tail On A Skateboard? (And How To Fix It)

A razor tail is when the tail of your skateboard has chipped down, creating a sharp tail or edge.

You can still use your skateboard if it has a razor tail. But once the chipping gets bad enough, it can affect your ride. A lot of people will still ride a board with a razor tail and it’s definitely doable to keep riding. At least until your next paycheck.

Every skateboarder will experience razor tail once they begin dragging the tail to stop, manualling, or landing flip tricks. Over time, the tail will chip or crack from weight and pressure. And once the board gets a razor tail, it becomes more likely to chip or crack.

Even if that wasn’t enough to scare you, a razor tail will definitely affect the pop of your board and is known to cause injuries.

Continue reading to discover the cons of razor tail, how you can fix it, as well as the average lifespan of a skateboard.

How To Fix The Razor Tail On Your Skateboard

If you don’t want to buy a new deck right away then there are two ways that you can attempt to fix the razor tail on your skateboard.

1. Sand the edge of your tail until the sharp edge is gone. This will be the fastest and easiest way to remove your razor tail if you have access to power tools like a belt sander. However, even if you don’t have a belt sander you can use coarse sandpaper on a sanding block. Sand back and forth on the edge until the razor tail loses its sharpness or is gone for good.

2. Or you can cut the razor tail off completely. For this you’ll need a bandsaw or jigsaw. Take your saw of choice and cut the end of the tail off. You need to make sure that you still keep a curved shape to the tail and only cut off as much wood as necessary.

Pro Tip: If there are cracks in the plies, seal them up with crazy glue or wood glue and put clamps or a vice on them. If you use a vice, make sure to use something as a buffer between the vice and the wood such as cloth or newspaper.

Cons Of Razor Tail

Not only does the razor tail not look good, there are actually a fews cons to it as well. For starters, a razor tail causes the deck to lose pop, affecting how high the board gets from an ollie and other flip tricks.

Even further, it can cause wipeouts and injuries. Don’t be scared though. If you notice that your board has a razor tail but it’s not affecting your ollies or continuing to chip badly when attempting tricks, then you can keep riding it for a little while.

Why is it called a razor tail? Because the sharp wood can leave nasty cuts and injuries that may even lead to scars.

How Long Should A Skateboard Deck Last?

Some intense and dedicated skaters may break their boards within two weeks or so. That being said, a good lifespan for a deck is about 6 to 12 months.

How long your deck lasts will depend on how often you skate and your style, as well as a little bit of luck.

Nowadays, there are some stronger decks from reputable brands like Lithe, Powell-Peralta, and Santa Cruz. These decks are reinforced with a layer of carbon fiber to add some strength and durability.

When Do You Need A New Deck?

There are a few times when you might feel like you need a new deck if yours got a razor tail: 

1. If your skateboard no longer pops up, you need to purchase a new deck.
2. If you’ve already attempted fixing the razor tail but it’s not riding properly, then it’s time for a new board.
3. If you no longer like the way that your board looks and feels (and you have the cash to replace it), then get a new deck.
4. Delamination. It is not related to razor tail but delamination is another telltale sign that you’re in need of a new deck. Delamination is when the plies start coming apart. You can attempt to fix this by gluing and clamping the wood together. 

Just remember that a razor tail will affect your ride,  make it harder to complete tricks, and can possibly even injury you.

So first, try to fix your razor tail. If you’re not able to fix it, then buy yourself a new deck. But if you can’t afford a new deck, then continue riding it until you’re able to buy a new deck.

Pro Tip: Never throw out old decks if they are not warped or have a really bad razor tail. They can make for excellent back-up boards if yours is no longer ridable.