Walnut Acres Woodworking Blade Guard for the BORK Riving Knife

Blade guard aside, what is the benefit of using the BORK splitter instead of the stock splitter? What does the $120 get you that the stock knife doesn’t provide. Aren’t they just a piece of steel (or aluminum)?

The BORK is a riving knife, not just a splitter. It rises, falls, and tilts with the blade, whereas the stock splitter is at a fixed height. The original knife can be adjusted relative to the height the blade so it’ll allow through cuts without removal, but it also goes on and off in seconds unlock the stock splitter. The BORK also sits in closer proximity to the blade than a stock splitter, which helps prevent pinching of reactive wood.

The blade is aluminum that’s fitted to a bracket that mounts to the arbor swing arm.

Here’s my review of the original BORK riving knife.

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

I see. I thought you showed a picture in your post that said “original knife” but I can’t find it now. I must have misread. That had me thinking you had upgraded from one riving knife to another and I couldn’t figure out what was better about the newer one. Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for the response.

Thanks for pointing me Bob’s direction knotscott. We’ve been passing emails back and forth to see if the BORK will fit my saw. So far, looks like I may FINALLY have a splitter / riving knife for my saw.

cc

-- Chunk's Workshop pictures: http://spadfest.rcspads.com/thumbnails.php?album=135

Hokie: If you look at the last picture, the knife doesn’t have the “slot” cut into it for the guard. I think that’s the difference.

-- Chunk's Workshop pictures: http://spadfest.rcspads.com/thumbnails.php?album=135

Thanks for the review.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

I’d like to say safety is a huge priority, but I can’t as I too haven’t seen my factory guard since taking it out of the box. I did an overhead that had some pro’s and some large flaws I should’ve designed to be handled. I am always shocked when seeing Euro standards vs. mine in the States. The Euro req’s are so much safer and the price isn’t extremely different. I forger the #’s, but I know that a requirement is to be able to remove and install a blade guard in seconds, not minutes. The blade must stop much faster after the saw is powered off. Just a few. I need to do this, but anytime I have the $160 to spend, a more glamorous tool shows up.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

Looks like a clean set up Scott. I am probably in a minority, but I always leave my blade guard on for normal ripping or crosscutting.

I always leave mine on for normal ripping and crosscuts too. I have the old style splitter and use a featherboard for all my ripping. I know its not supposed to be the case but with the splitter I feel safer when the saw blade is at full height because the distance between the back edge of the blade and the splitter is much less. Thats why I’ve been thinking about a riving knive but didnt think there was an option. If it fits onto the arbor directly then its a great solution.

Wow. Am I glad I stumbled on this. Scott you never cease to amaze me. :-) And here I thought I couldn’t get a riving knife for my Unisaw. That’s what everybody said. I never looked real hard at mine to see if it was doable or not but I guess it is. And a quick release guard too! Thanks!

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

He’s made a couple of nice updates to the BORK and the blade guard recently too. I’m going to post about them in the forum.

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

Here’s a video of the latest version in action.
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/bacsibob/?action=view&current=BORK-BBG-Hinge-3-10-12004.mp4

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....