Riving knife

Poor blade or fence alignment, operator error, or pre-existing stresses in the wood released by cutting may cause these different and dangerous conditions.

[2] Saw blade "grabbing" occurs more frequently during ripping than cross-cutting (cuts made to wood or stone across its main grain or axis).

If a bandsaw grabs, the wood is pressed safely down into the machine table (though the saw may jam, stall or break the blade).

[5] Kickback may also occur when a loose piece of wood, freshly cut free, slips against the back of the blade.

[10] As of 2008, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) requires that all new table saw designs include a riving knife.

Some US table saws are fitted with sharpened ratchet teeth on a free-swinging pawl attached to the guard which restrain a board during a kickback.