Model W1761/W1762
Riving Knife
The riving knife works in the same manner as the spreader on the blade guard assembly. It is a metal plate that pre- vents the newly cut workpiece from pinching the backside of the blade and causing kickback.
The key difference between the spreader and the riving knife is that the riving knife mounts below the blade's high- est point of rotation, as shown in Figure 11.
The height difference between the riving knife and the blade allows the workpiece to pass over the blade during
The riving knife acts as a barrier behind the blade to reduce the risk of hands being pulled into the blade if kickback occurs. The riving knife must be kept within the range shown in Figure 12. For that reason, a 12" blade is required for operations that use a riving knife.
Installing Riving Knife
The riving knife installs in a similar manner to the blade guard and spreader. Refer to Blade Guard on Page 3 for installation instructions.
When to Use the Riving Knife
Use the riving knife for all
Also, use the riving knife for those special operations where the blade guard or its components get in the way of safe operation, such as with very narrow cuts.
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Figure 11. Height difference between
riving knife and blade.
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Figure 12. Allowable top and bottom
distances between riving knife and blade.
To ensure that the riving knife works safely, it MUST be aligned with and correctly adjusted to the blade. Refer to Page 8 to check or adjust the riving knife alignment.
When Not to Use the Riving Knife
Do not use the riving knife with a dado blade that has a diameter smaller than 12" in diameter. Otherwise, the riving knife height will exceed the blade height and the workpiece will hit the riving knife during the cut, forcing the operator into a dangerous situation of trying to turn the saw off with the workpiece stuck halfway through the cut.
In addition, although it is possible to use the riving knife for through cutting operations, the blade guard assembly offers far more injury protection and risk reduction than the riving knife. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you use the blade guard assembly instead of the riving knife for through cuts.
