Learning How to Use a Riving Knife

If you don’t know what a riving knife is, then you probably should not be anywhere near one. The fastest way to injure yourself is through your own lack of knowledge, so always learn before you actually handle a tool, especially any tool with a sharp blade. A riving knife is actually a safety device and can be found on a number of different cutting tools including table saws, circular saws, radial arm saws and others. It is most typically used in the process of woodworking.

The need for safety devices on saws and similar tools is extraordinary. Some of these tools have blades made of the strongest, thinnest material around, which means that they can cut deeper, spin faster and do more damage when there is an accident. Some of these blades are designed to make precision cuts in delicate materials, which means that they are deadly sharp- sometimes as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel. These things won’t just hurt you if there is an accident, they will kill you so the need for good knowledge and skills is vitally important.

When you buy any one of these tools, you should take the time to talk to the person who sold it to you. In the big box retail stores, they might direct you to free, in-store classes that you can take that will teach you how to use certain tools or how to create different projects. Smaller hardware stores may be able to personally walk you through the parts of your new purchase. But, if you bought a saw online or used, you will not have either of those options. It is still important for you to know what each part is and what it does before you even turn on the saw for the first time, so consult the owner’s manual. If you do not have one, you can go online and find the exact manual and consult it. It is advisable to print this out so that you have it to refer back to.

The riving knife itself sits on the saw and prevents kick back from happening. A kick back can happen if the blade is damaged or dull or when the piece of wood that is being cut turns or has a defect. A thick knot hole for instance can cause a serious kick back. Any accident involving a saw has the potential for serious injury, so any safety device should not only be used but understood as well. Your riving knife is there for a reason, it is meant to protect you.