Reply by MrRon

That is why I feel one must have a FIRM grip on the work. Kickback happens when you relax your grip on the piece. When using a push stick, one must maintain a constant downward and forward force. If you relax that force, kickback can happen. That is why experienced woodworkers can push a piece of wood through a saw with their fingers precariously close to the blade and get away with it. They maintain pressure on the wood. They usually get away with this breach of safety, but maybe it catches up to them because of a knot in the wood, a dull blade or a slight hangover from the night before. It’s like being in the war. You might get shot or you might not.