Yes— a splitter is a thin plate behind the blade that keeps the kerf open on a table saw, cutting binding and kickback during rip cuts.
This guide gives you a plain-English tour: what a splitter is, how it compares with a riving knife, how to install and align it, and how to keep it in trim. You’ll see clear specs, fit tips, and shop habits that make rip cuts calm and predictable. You’ll also find direct links to official guidance so you can check the rulebook whenever you like.
Table saw splitter explained: parts and specs
A splitter also goes by another name in rule text: a spreader. It sits just behind the blade, centered on the tooth line, and shares the same plane as the cut. The plate is thinner than the blade’s kerf yet thicker than the blade body, which keeps the board from closing onto the rising teeth. Many older table saws ship with a splitter that bolts to a guard bracket. Plenty of woodworkers now use removable splitters that fasten to a zero-clearance insert; the goal is the same— keep the kerf open and the stock tracking straight.
Specs matter. Match thickness to your blade set. A common 1/8″ full-kerf blade pairs with a splitter around 0.090–0.100″. Thin-kerf blades pair with plates around 0.070–0.080″. Height should reach near the top of the blade for through rips. Alignment needs to be tight: the splitter face should run in line with the blade so stock passes without a bump or a side push. Get those three pieces right and the cut feels smooth from infeed to outfeed.
Splitter, riving knife, and blade guard at a glance
| Feature | Splitter (spreader) | Riving knife |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Behind blade; fixed to bracket or throat plate | Mounted to arbor assembly; follows blade arc |
| Height tracking | Stays at one height | Rises and lowers with blade |
| Distance to blade | Usually a bit farther back | Very close to blade through the range |
| Non-through cuts | Often needs removal | Can sit just below tooth line and remain |
| Kickback control | Keeps kerf open behind the cut | Keeps kerf open; proximity helps even more |
| Anti-kickback pawls | Can mount on top bracket | Often built into guard/knife assembly |
| Retrofit on old saws | Common via insert-mounted plates | Rare unless designed into the saw |
Both devices chase the same trouble. The riving knife sits closer to the tooth path and tracks height, which means fewer removals and steady control across more setups. A well-aligned splitter still earns its keep on legacy machines where a riving knife isn’t an option.
Using a splitter on a saw: setup and safety steps
Start with the saw unplugged. Install a sharp, straight blade sized for your splitter. Set the fence parallel to the blade; a light toe-out at the rear helps the offcut clear. Mount the splitter and snug its hardware. Bring a straightedge off the blade body to check alignment. Tiny shims or slotted holes make the last nudge easy. The goal is glide, not rub.
Set height for through cuts so the top of the splitter reaches near the tooth tips. Fit the guard and pawls if your setup uses them. With the saw off, push a scrap across the fence and past the splitter to feel for drag. If the stock drifts sideways, adjust. If the offcut wedges between fence and blade, use a short fence or a thin spacer at the outfeed to free the waste. Good fences and good habits tag-team with the splitter.
Now set your stance and feed. Stand just left of the blade path on a right-tilt saw. Use push sticks that control both downforce and pressure toward the fence. Keep the piece flat and steady from infeed to outfeed. If a cut stalls, lower the stock, stop the saw, and reset. Don’t reach past the blade to clear scraps. Let the teeth stop before you tidy the table.
Splitter vs riving knife: clear differences
Each device lives behind the blade and shares the same goal, yet they attach in different ways. A riving knife rides the blade carriage and holds a tight gap to the tooth path through the full height range. That close position means fewer removals and consistent support. A splitter stands farther back and often at a fixed height. When you cut grooves or rabbets, users tend to remove splitters; riving knives often stay on because they can sit just below the tooth line.
Does that make a splitter second rate? Not on the right saw. With careful alignment and a fence that doesn’t pinch, a splitter keeps the kerf open and tames most kickback tied to closing wood. Add pawls up top and you gain a one-way grip that bites if stock starts to ride the blade. On many older machines, an aftermarket splitter brings a big jump in control for a small cost and a short setup.
Kickback, binding, and how a splitter helps
Kickback starts when the rear teeth grab a board and sling it toward the operator. That grab happens when the work closes on the blade or drifts into the rising teeth. Wood moves; stress inside a board can pinch the cut the moment fibers open. A splitter stands in that gap and blocks the close. With the kerf held open, the rear teeth pass without biting, and the board keeps tracking the fence line. The payoff is a straight rip and a steady feed.
Binding has a different feel: the saw labors, the cut burns, and you hear a change in pitch. Often the fence pinches the work against the blade or the board snakes away from the fence and rubs the plate. A splitter won’t fix a crooked fence, dull teeth, or warped stock, yet it cuts the odds that a small wander turns into a launch. Pair it with the right rip blade, a flat table, and a jointed edge for smooth travel.
Real specs from common standards
Rule text sticks to clear checks for these parts. The plate should be thicker than the blade body and thinner than the kerf. Keep it close to the blade path and aligned with the teeth. Some guidance also calls out a short gap from the tooth arc for knives. The thread across all of it is simple: hold the cut open and keep guards in play whenever the setup allows. If you want the source text, see OSHA 29 CFR 1910.213 on spreaders, the OSHA table saw eTool on ripsaw setups, and the UK’s HSE circular saw bench page on riving knife fit.
Buying and retrofit tips for older saws
Many bench saws built before modern guards lack a riving knife mount. That doesn’t stall the plan. Insert-mounted splitters that bolt into a zero-clearance plate offer quick on-off use and repeatable alignment. Pick a kit that matches your blade kerf and insert thickness. If your saw still has the factory bracketed splitter, tune it rather than tossing it; most brackets include slots for small shifts left or right. Set the plate in line with the blade and make sure it clears the tooth path by a sliver.
When you swap blades, check splitter thickness again. A thin-kerf blade paired with a thick splitter will bind. Keep a set of plates and mark them by size. Store the guard, pawls, and wrench where they’re easy to grab so you don’t skip reassembly between cuts. The best safety gear is the gear you’ll use on every rip.
Cut quality gains you can feel
Once the splitter is dialed, you’ll notice a steadier feed and less chatter at the back of the blade. Long rips track straighter with fewer fence taps. Offcuts stop sneaking into the teeth. You trade scorch marks and stalls for clean edges that need only a light pass with a plane. Setup time up front pays off in smooth work later, and the shop stays incident-free.
Troubleshooting and upkeep
Splitters are simple plates, which keeps maintenance short. Check alignment any time you switch blades or throat plates. Sight for dings or burrs and dress edges with fine paper if you find a rough spot. Confirm the mount is tight. Track fence parallelism and miter-slot alignment a few times a year. Keep blades clean and sharp; pitch on the plate invites heat and drag. Scan boards for wind, twist, knots, and nails before a rip. Prep sets the tone for the cut.
Common splitter problems and fast fixes
| Issue | Likely cause | Quick fix |
|---|---|---|
| Stock rubs on splitter face | Plate out of line with blade | Shim or loosen mount and align to blade body |
| Burn marks near back of cut | Fence pinching or dull blade | Set fence parallel with light toe-out; clean or swap blade |
| Launch scare on thin rips | Offcut trapped between fence and teeth | Use short fence or a spacer; push sticks that press down and in |
| Splitter binds with thin-kerf blade | Plate thicker than kerf | Fit a thinner plate matched to blade set |
| Can’t make a stopped groove | Fixed splitter height | Remove for that cut and reinstall; consider a riving-knife saw |
Shop habits that pair with a splitter
Good habits stack the deck. Stand out of the line of fire. Keep your grip light and your stance balanced so you can react. Use featherboards to steady long boards before the blade and on the fence face. Support outfeed so the work stays flat. Set the blade just above the stock. Choose a rip blade for ripping. Use a splitter whenever the setup allows. These small moves work together with that slim plate behind the blade.
When not to use a splitter
Some cuts don’t allow a fixed plate behind the blade. Dadoes, grooves, and many stopped cuts fall in that group. Crosscuts on a miter gauge don’t need one either. For those tasks, remove the splitter and keep the guard off the work. When the job returns to straight ripping, fit the hardware back on before the next board. Treat reinstallation as part of the cut, not an optional step.
Quick recap and next steps
A splitter is a simple answer to two ugly problems. It holds the kerf open, keeps the board tracking straight, and lowers the chance of a kickback. It doesn’t replace smart fence setup, sharp teeth, or sound stance. It joins them. If your saw lacks a riving knife, fit a splitter that matches your blades and tune it until the stock glides with no rub. Keep it on for every rip that permits a guard. That one habit changes the feel of the cut and gives you smoother work with less risk.