# Riving knife for old craftsman tablesaw?



## NiftyNickk (5 mo ago)

Hello,

I recently purchased an old Craftsman Tablesaw for $100 at a sale. The model number is: 133.299410
I am unable to find any riving knife available for the saw, does anyone have any suggestions?

Sincerely,
Nicholas D


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

NiftyNickk said:


> Hello,
> 
> I recently purchased an old Craftsman Tablesaw for $100 at a sale. The model number is: 133.299410
> I am unable to find any riving knife available for the saw, does anyone have any suggestions?
> ...


It think there's a typo in the first 3 digits of your model ....113, not 133?
Craftsman old style blade guards on Ebay;








craftsman 113 table saw blade guard for sale | eBay


Get the best deals for craftsman 113 table saw blade guard at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!



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One example does not include mounting rod and bracket found above:








Craftsman Sears 10" Table Saw Plastic Safety Blade Guard 113 Series Belt Driven | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Craftsman Sears 10" Table Saw Plastic Safety Blade Guard 113 Series Belt Driven at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



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The older Craftsman table saws never had a riving knife, only a splitter with the blade guard attached with rivets.
I found the blade guard to be a hinderance most of the time so I drilled out the rivets leaving only the splitter plate.
It works great to prevent kickbacks and keeps the kerf from closing on "springy" woods.
I made a simple double sided plywood cover with a friction bolt so it can be positioned at any angle from fully down to fully back:


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## LilMtnDave (12 mo ago)

woodnthings said:


> It think there's a typo in the first 3 digits of your model ....113, not 133?
> Craftsman old style blade guards on Ebay;
> 
> 
> ...


I have run my saw guardless for quite some time and just recently pulled the guard out of a bin and wondered about the same thing it sounds like you did...popping off the rivets and removing the plastic guard. Will now wonder some more.


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## Kudzu (Dec 23, 2008)

You will never find a Riving Knife for an old saw. RK are a new thing.

You can find or make a splitter which is great thing to have.


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## djhardin (5 mo ago)

LilMtnDave said:


> I have run my saw guardless for quite some time and just recently pulled the guard out of a bin and wondered about the same thing it sounds like you did...popping off the rivets and removing the plastic guard. Will now wonder some more.


If you are running your table saw without a riving knife or splitter you should think seriously about putting one on. YouTube is full of videos of what happens when a table saw kicks back the piece being worked on, and none of them are pretty. People have gotten seriously injured from kickback, which happens so quickly they don't have time to react.

This video demonstrates kickback and how to prevent it, and the presenter also talks about why you should use a guard. 






Regards


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## Biotec (Mar 14, 2021)

@NiftyNickk 

this saw is from about 1998 near the end of the Emerson contract with Sears.
they did not make a Riving Knife (RK) they had (9 below) blade guard with spreader.
for most company's back in *2007* added riving knives, which help to prevent table saw kickback, were becoming a standard feature on all new models released by 2008. note there were some company's in europe already had them.












here is link for the manual
craftsman 113.299410 manual large scan


Since the mid 1980's, virtually every table saw sold in this country (USA) has been equipped with some kind of "splitter", a stationary metal blade intended to hold the kerf open behind the blade. The splitter has also done double duty as a convenient mounting place for the ineffective but required blade guards that have long come with every table saw. In truth, the splitter has rarely functioned as a decent safety device because, for the most part, they have been made of flimsy metal of a thickness far less than that of a typical saw blade.

And since the standard splitter/blade guard combo is mostly in the way and completely obstructing to the normal operation of the machine, they mostly end up tossed under the saw and or the dust bin.

Zero Clearance Insert with Splitter 

from last year Looking for splitter/riving knife has links


i have this one, MICROJIG - Table Saw Safety 1/8" Kerf Splitter and Riving Knife Alternative for a ridgid TS 2400-01.
but not always used. like for dado work.

no matter what the comments above still apply.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Regarding the use of a "blade guard", if you never place your hands or fingers directly in line of the cutting path or beyond the front of the blade, it will be difficult to get cut by it.
That's why we recommend push "shoes" rather than push sticks.
They can "press downward" and "push forward", both of those forces are needed to control the workpiece.
In that case, your hands don't come close enough to the spinning blade to ne injured.
The throat plate is painted "RED" because that is the danger zone where no hands or fingers are allowed!
A blade guard also serves to prevent sawdust from being spun up into your face and eyes.
If you wear safety glasses (recommended) they will protect your eyes, but your face may still need protection as well.

I have attached an adjustable "blade cover" to keep the blades dust from hitting my face.
It also serves as a warning to stop any forward motion of my right hand which I use for push the workpiece.
That's when I grab the push shoe from the right side of the fence and continue push the workpiece past the end of the blade.
The splitter prevents the workpiece from moving away from the fence until it's completely cut.
Then I turn off the saw and wait until it's stopped before reaching around to grab my cut offs and workpieces. 

This method has worked for me for about 40 years with not even a close call or kickback.


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## Woodworking Wolf (Sep 17, 2021)

woodnthings said:


> Regarding the use of a "blade guard", if you never place your hands or fingers directly in line of the cutting path or beyond the front of the blade, it will be difficult to get cut by it.


Guessing that comment will generate a lot of comments. Plenty of examples of fingers/hands meeting up with a blade due to kickback or other reasons when the user's hand was not originally in line with the cutting path.


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## LilMtnDave (12 mo ago)

djhardin said:


> If you are running your table saw without a riving knife or splitter you should think seriously about putting one on. YouTube is full of videos of what happens when a table saw kicks back the piece being worked on, and none of them are pretty. People have gotten seriously injured from kickback, which happens so quickly they don't have time to react.
> 
> This video demonstrates kickback and how to prevent it, and the presenter also talks about why you should use a guard.
> 
> ...


Appreciate the video and your thoughts. While I have never been hit, I have luckily dodged a few missiles. I am certainly going to address my issue here. Thanks.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Woodworking Wolf said:


> Guessing that comment will generate a lot of comments. Plenty of examples of fingers/hands meeting up with a blade due to kickback or other reasons when the user's hand was not originally in line with the cutting path.


I certainly hope so!
Kind of like saying you will never get cut as long as you don't touch the blade.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Woodworking Wolf said:


> Guessing that comment will generate a lot of comments. * Plenty of examples of fingers/hands meeting up with a blade due to kickback or other reasons when the user's hand was not originally in line with the cutting path.*





> woodnthings said:
> Regarding the use of a "blade guard", if you never place your hands or fingers directly in line of the cutting path or *beyond the front of the blade,* it will be difficult to get cut by it.


Guessing that comment will generate a lot of comments. Plenty of examples of fingers/hands meeting up with a blade due to kickback or other reasons when the user's hand was not originally in line with the cutting path.

You forgot/neglected to quote the second part of my statement.
I often run my hand along the fence on a wider piece of wood once the splitter has entered the kerf because I know it can't rotate around and kickback.
I know what I'm doing after 50 years of doing it. I don't recommend dangerous methods here for obvious reasons.
This is why a rotational kickback can not only result in a severe bruise or internal injury, it can also carry your "feeding hand" with it into the blade.
If you are using a push shoe, that can't happen.
If you are using a splitter it will also be very unlikely to happen.
A combination of safety practices and safety accessories will always result in a safer workplace.


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## Richard22 (Feb 5, 2018)

woodnthings said:


> Guessing that comment will generate a lot of comments. Plenty of examples of fingers/hands meeting up with a blade due to kickback or other reasons when the user's hand was not originally in line with the cutting path.
> 
> You forgot/neglected to quote the second part of my statement.
> I often run my hand along the fence on a wider piece of wood once the splitter has entered the kerf because I know it can't rotate around and kickback.
> ...


Hey Bill. We had this discussion years ago. Ever say never no matter how safe you think you are or how much experience. I’m lucky to only lose one finger.

i know nothing I say will change your mind but had to point that out and say hello. I found this looking for you. Lol


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Yup, every woodworker is a safety expert and those with "all 10" are more convinced their methods are best.
A saw injury from a kickback is different than running your hands or fingers directly into the blade in a lapse of concentration OR a slip of grip.
If your hands are never in the cutting path it's pretty difficult to cut them.
If your hands get past the front of the blade there is more risk of injury, especially from a kickback.
That's why I use a push shoe for those occasions.
Thintz, a member here, made a demo video where he just about lost a finger showing why kickbacks occur:





Hey Richard, it's been a few years since you've been here! Welcome back.


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