# how improtant riving knife



## hotrod351 (Apr 13, 2011)

ive ripped more than a thousand feet of redwood on two different table saws with out the riving knife or splitter and havent had a problem but see where it would help. are they really that big of a deal to have.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I'd say you've been fortunate. Having one or the other is among the most important safety features you can use IMHO. A splitter and a riving knife essentially to the same task, but a riving knife is the "better mousetrap" because it sits closer to the blade and is less intrusive so is more likely to be in place to do the job.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

I have had mishaps without a splitter / riving knife. I won't use a table saw without one now. And the riving knife was a huge enough deal for me that I bought a Ryobi BT3100 instead of a Ridgid TS3650 when I was in the market for a table saw... 

I love my BT, but I must admit, I am having a bad case of cast iron lust, and really want a Grizzly G0691 now... And yes, those have a riving knife...


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

knotscott said:


> I'd say you've been fortunate. Having one or the other is among the most important safety features you can use IMHO. A splitter and a riving knife essentially to the same task, but a riving knife is the "better mousetrap" because it sits closer to the blade and is less intrusive so is more likely to be in place to do the job.


I agree


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## klr650 (Apr 4, 2010)

hotrod351 said:


> ive ripped more than a thousand feet of redwood on two different table saws with out the riving knife or splitter and havent had a problem but see where it would help. are they really that big of a deal to have.


I'll pile on with all the other responses and say YES. Having had walnut planks pinch on my bandsaw so tightly that I had to cut the blade, that same board on my tablesaw without a riving knife would have become a projectile - and there was no way to know it was going to pinch by looking at it.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

I think redwood, being a pretty soft wood, isn't prone to case hardening but if you try that with some hardwoods, you are REALLY asking for trouble.


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## glh17 (Jul 7, 2010)

Yes, they're important. Up until a few years ago I didn't use my splitter/blade guard because of the inconvenience of removing and replacing them. Then I saw a few pictures of experienced woodworkers who had experienced kickback. Now, I don't use my table saw without them no matter how inconvenient. The only exception is when I use dado blades and I try to cut the dadoes with a router. I wish I had a riving knife and overhead guard instead of my setup, but the aftermarket knives won't fit my DW746 saw.


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## hotrod351 (Apr 13, 2011)

i see what your saying. i wish my ridgid ts2410 had the riving knife setup like the r4510 comes with, although i prefer the ts2410 over the 4510. i found a couple riving knife setups on the net. one sells for about $100.00 but i do believe it moves with the blade. i forget what its called. i have the splitter and guard all in one on my saw but its hard to see the wood with the big plastic guard in the way.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

hotrod351 said:


> i see what your saying. i wish my ridgid ts2410 had the riving knife setup like the r4510 comes with, although i prefer the ts2410 over the 4510. i found a couple riving knife setups on the net. one sells for about $100.00 but i do believe it moves with the blade. i forget what its called. i have the splitter and guard all in one on my saw but its hard to see the wood with the big plastic guard in the way.


The Microjig "MJ" splitter is available in a couple of different kerf widths and robustness levels, and gets good marks.....it's also pretty affordable at ~ $20. A good aftermarket splitter can still be nearly as effective as a decent riving knife. 

















I have a BORK aftermarket riving knife and guard on my saw. I like it a lot but don't know if there's one to fit your saw.


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## hotrod351 (Apr 13, 2011)

im looking at this one but expensive.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

hotrod351 said:


> im looking at this one but expensive.


When I bought the Biesemeyer for my saw it was about $140 and worth every penny.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Lee Styron makes a Sharkguard that will fit the Ridgid TS2400, so it should also fit the TS2410....I'd think one of his shorty splitters would fit too...might be worth asking him about.


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## mveach (Jul 3, 2010)

klr650 said:


> I'll pile on with all the other responses and say YES. Having had walnut planks pinch on my bandsaw so tightly that I had to cut the blade, that same board on my tablesaw without a riving knife would have become a projectile - and there was no way to know it was going to pinch by looking at it.


Back in the 80's I had pine to stop the blade on an old unisaw and burn up the motor. We installed a new motor and a splitter. That solved one problem. A few years later, we had an operator cut his arm on the blade while adjusting the saw (no blade guard) it was a used saw and did not come with one. The reeving knife serves as a splitter but also a partial blade guard. If you can't use a full guard, at least the reeving knife gives you some protection.


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## hotrod351 (Apr 13, 2011)

now that sharkguard looks as close to perfect as ive seen yet. thats what i want, something i can easily remove the bawls and guard from. ive been thinking how i could do that to my setup. but it looksk like it attaches to the 2400 the same way as the 2410 would attach.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

when they (splitters) set up and stay set up, they are great. saw stop's cabinet saw riving knife is best i've ever used. splitter on our grizzly g1023 won't stay in line.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I'm all for safety devices. I will offer a caveat about splitters and riving knives. They are not a cure-all kerf keeper. Some stock can bear a lot of stress and "walk" in any direction. It is possible for the stresses to exert a force causing a bind between the fence and the splitter/riving knife.












 







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## hotrod351 (Apr 13, 2011)

well this is what i ended up doing and it seems to work great, cost me 13 cents for the c-clip, i had the pin. they do make a pin that has a push button center, have one somewhere, and it releases like a craftsman ratchet releases a socket.


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