How Good Are Anti-Kickback Blades?

Causes

• Kickback typically occurs when wood becomes trapped between the blade and a stationary object. For example, a piece of wood can be thrown back at the operator when it's pinched up against the guard of a table saw. Kickback also results from operator error such as not properly setting up the various safety features that come with a saw, such as the guard or clamps that hold down the wood.

Fingers

• Most new table saws have an anti-kickback feature that helps prevent injury in case the saw tries to throw a piece of wood back at the operator. The saws have small projections at the back of their teeth called fingers, which catch and hold onto any wood that tries to break off the saw. While the blades don't eliminate kickback, they mitigate any potential injury to the woodworker when a kickback occurs.

Other

• Besides the anti-kickback blade, you should be aware of and use other important safety features when sawing wood with a table saw. A piece of equipment called a splitter helps avoid pinching, one of the main reasons for kickback. Another device, called a pawl, attaches to the splitter and works similarly to the fingers of an anti-kickback blade. The pawl's teeth grab onto the wood in case of kickback and prevent it from posing any danger to the woodworker.

One Part

• Anti-kickback blades have an important safety feature that serves a useful purpose but is not a cure-all for kickback. A large part of preventing kickback involves the proper use of the machinery by the operator as well as the judicious application of all safety features. Proper sawing techniques such as keeping hands well away from the blade and maintaining a steady pace when pushing the saw through the blade also help reduce kickback. Anti-kickback blades are merely one part of staying safe when sawing boards.