# The Hand Guard is baaaaaack!



## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

For about ten years I've been using the *Hand Guard* table saw push block. This is, IMHO, one of the simplest and most elegant thin rip push block I've ever seen.









This tool has a channel that the blade passes thru while applying downward pressure on either side of the kerf.

The heel adjusts to different stock thickness with a quick click.

The sides of the channel are only about 1/8" wide so you can easily rip 3/16" strips between the blade and the fence.

Mine finally gave up the ghost when I got a little sloppy and shaved half of one of the channel sides about off (oops).









I recalled ordering it from one of the catalog co's but I couldn't find it anywhere. Finally I tried the URL on the device. I found what appears to be a dead site with just an email entry page. I filled it out and about a half hour later got a call from the owner of the company.

He explained that they had gone out of production about four years ago but that they had just resumed production this spring.

Well he gave me the new & improved website: https://www.jarmstools.com

I'm not getting anything for this but this is a great simple tool that rivals a Grrripr block but without the knobs (but still adjustable and a *lot* less). It's made in the USA and the owner is also the shipping department.

Joe Bob sez "Check it out!"


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## Scap (Aug 7, 2018)

I've got one of those stashed away somewhere.
Now I'm feeling nostalgic and need to dig it out.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

The ONLY way to push wood past a blade.

I'm to cheap to go this route, so I make my own. I have them in various thicknesses by making them from scrap Masonite and plywood. Too, they have different sole depths, so pushing a pieces of Formica or other laminate through the blade is no big deal.

I believe in these so much, this is my storage area for them.


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## AndyJ1s (Jan 26, 2019)

I've been looking at the Micro Jig GRR-Ripper. The Hand Guard is much less expensive. Maybe not quite as versatile.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

I think the Hand Guard has superior visibility over the Grrr-ripper.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

I think I'll stick with my 1/2" BB hand cut version that has done me well for the last 25+ years.
And the best part, I can cut a new one from scrap whenever I want.

If I were going to buy something, it would be the Gripper by far. Why go half way?


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Ones you make yourself don't push both sides of the blade without getting cut up.

The Hand Guard straddles the blade with positive push from the heel. No rubber pads to slip.

It gives Grrr-ripper a run for a fraction of the cost.


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## SuperCubber (Feb 23, 2012)

> Ones you make yourself don t push both sides of the blade without getting cut up.
> 
> The Hand Guard straddles the blade with positive push from the heel. No rubber pads to slip.
> 
> ...


When it gets cut up, the middle is missing, just like Hand Guard.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> Ones you make yourself don t push both sides of the blade without getting cut up.
> 
> - Madmark2


I can't think of a time I have ever needed to push both sides. 
As far as the heel, I never have seen the need to make it adjustable. 1/4" is plenty for everything.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Come on, you aren't saying we retired pros, decades in, were doing it all wrong, for decades, are you?

If I showed you the back of some of my wide pieces, they'd show you right. But, as another says, what of it? I make new ones as I please. Too, I make them and give them away, in hopes others will use them.

It is because I use a 3/4" pieces of ply to push through a cut out of the bottom right (to make 1/8" x 1/8" strips, for example) that I can do that all day long, with only a couple launches (another part of experience is, knowing not to stand behind the projectile).

No need to defend your toy. We agree, it's a fine one.

Finally, there is that our cheap and less purty ones may be thought of as being, somewhat, akin to running the blade through a sled for a bandsaw or tablesaw.

Just keep in mind, the new kid or the broke one is better off with the disposable one rather than going without. Then, for me, while I like yours, it would only be a matter of time before I ate up one side or the other of it, then I'd be pissed or disappointed.



> Ones you make yourself don t push both sides of the blade without getting cut up.
> 
> The Hand Guard straddles the blade with positive push from the heel. No rubber pads to slip.
> 
> ...


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## AndyJ1s (Jan 26, 2019)

Depending on which version you get (or if you purchase the gravity heel add-on), the Gripper does not have to depend on rubber pads gripping either.

But it would be much more aggravating if you cut a Gripper up on your saw, than a tried and true, shop-built-from-scrap one.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

You never cut lexan or formica? They rattle like hell but downward pressure on both sides of the kerf stop the chattering.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

That's why I mentioned the shallow heel for laminate, above. For narrow laminate and plastic cuts.

Those cuts are the rare exception. Usually, yours, mine and the Gripper are impractical for most the laminate pieces I cut. There is no reasonable way to manage the push shoes and a large sheet, which requires both hands and, usually, keeping the laminate bent (curved) a couple feet off the table top and dropping it down at the last of the cut.


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## pushstick4all (Apr 1, 2020)

Hello Back to the world of wood working Thank you for putting your eyes an words out their for 
us all to learn from, as the inventor of the Hand Guard Aid safety tool ,no one tool is a do all ,how
i have made the Hand Guard is its not just for Table saws try with any other store bought push 
stick / push block , or home made splintering-wood cut out wanaB push stick , just ask your 
self where have you seen a push stick / push block that can go from ripping , and then with a 
flick of the wrist it now has 3 points of 100% Aid holding power, Hand Guard is seen here with
the back Heel in the Ripp, only up an down positions,you can see by setting the blade height so
to keep the cutting teeth so they never protrude more then 1/4 inch above the wood stock to 
be cut, by having both legs of the Heel pushing from both sides of the saw blade ,this can Aid in 
almost, eliminating un-wanted kickback. By revolving the Heel in to the Shape only position,Yes
now you have 3 way holding your wood stock #1 pushing inward, #2 pushing down-word and 

3 pushing forward , if you need another Heel they pop in ,with a flick or twist of the wrist 
Hand Guard is refreshed, People using Hand Guard on your Belt Sander, on your Router Table,
on your Jointer , even the Ban Saw Please take a look at Hand Guard in action, go to my
YouTube Channel
now its a 22 year old trade show Video, you can see how Hand Guard is out in front Please type
in these words:
A+ Best Push Stick not just for table saws after 22 years you can, find us at ,
JarmsTools.com


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## AMZ (Jan 27, 2020)

Looks interesting enough to watch the video! To OP, thanks for alerting us!


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> *You never cut lexan or formica*? They rattle like hell but downward pressure on both sides of the kerf stop the chattering.
> 
> - Madmark2


I've probably cut 100 times more of it than you. I have a laminate slitter for plastic laminate.
(look it up so you know what I'm talking about)
You only need to hold it down on 1 side anyway. You're mistaken the fact that experienced woodworkers know how to do this kind of stuff.

The plastic "hand guard" is good for the hobbyist. It's definitely better than nothing. My argument is that it doesn't do any better than a *"home made splintering-wood cut out wanaB push stick"*
Although, once you make a mistake and cut through one of the sides of the "Hand Guard", it is basically garbage after that. I sure don't want to spend 25 bucks every time I need a new one.

*To pushstickforall,* I understand you're trying to sell your product, (kuddos)
But, I don't appreciate you're coming on here with your advertisement and slamming others methods with phrases like "home made splintering-wood cut out wanaB push stick" in order to do it.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

nothing against these fancy gadgets BUT this is what i prefer to use 100% safe plus price was almost free except for my time which Is free so yes free :<))


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## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

> Hello Back to the world of wood working Thank you for putting your eyes an words out their for
> us all to learn from, as the inventor of the Hand Guard Aid safety tool ,no one tool is a do all ,how
> i have made the Hand Guard is its not just for Table saws try with any other store bought push
> stick / push block , or home made splintering-wood cut out wanaB push stick , just ask your
> ...


If the ShamWow guy is out of jail you should have him do the infomercial for you.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

To no one in particular

I use home made push stick for 50 years and have all 10. Some people forget there's more way to skin a cat and one size doesn't fit all. But they do like to argue there way is best. And it probably is for them.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

On one day, it's eye-of-the-beholder stuff, the next it's a necessity.

I was using these long before he invented the PushStick4All. When I started seriously doing woodwork, back around 74, things used in woodwork and that were capable of doing me serious harm made me nervous.

My first commercial woodworking job was with Caribou Campers (Brewster, Washington). Among other things, I had to cut 4×8 sheets of 1/8" paneling on a five horse Oliver. That meant keeping the back high in the air, as described above, to force the material down at the blade.

I'd hear the usual garbage of "you don't gotta be afraid of it, you just gotta respect it" from people who couldn't explain what they were talking about, in response to my apprehension about pushing narrow pieces past the blade with my fingers. Even then, as a kid, I knew they were ignorant old men. Now, I am even more certain of it.

We had ZERO push sticks and, certainly, no shoes. Later, I learned about sticks, and the word "absurd" went through my mind. I saw no reason by one could not use a piece of wood that held down more of the material than just a few inches, AT THE FRONT OF THE CUT.

I didn't have a bandsaw, so I made a push stick that did allow me to hold down at least ten inches of the material using a jig saw. Of course, with that came the thought of how to push, so the heel, immediately, became part of the plan.

In small-town Eastern Washington, there were no woodworking magazines and books. Shop teachers were two watt bulbs, and those magazines were expensive on a few hundred a month income. Knocks University.

Using the shoes, I noticed, over time, kick backs were GREATLY reduced. It was only years later I came to think about and understand why - push sticks ONLY keep your fingers away (but not always). They did nothing for holding the material down where the blade left the table saw, and where kick backs started.

In time, like in the photo I posted, I made many different push shoes - very narrow ones, wide ones, even ones that bend over the fence, so allow a narrow push shoe to sneak past that damn over-arm guard and dust collector.

With the push items above the saw, even if I forget to grab one, I can reach up and grab one on the fly. Because I have so many different thicknesses and heel depths, I don't have to stop to adjust the heel for thin stock.

Finally, I don't feel bad, at all, about running the push shoe over the blade, and often do.

In the end, if someone wants the purty ones, GREAT. It's nice to know they'll be back here with all digits intact. Too, a look around my shop shows I like toys as much as the next tool hoarder. Too, maybe owning one of these puppies will inspire the purchaser to broaden his/her safety net by way of making their own for things the store bought aren't as well equipped to handle.

_
NOTE: On the bandsaw, I use push STICKS far more than shoes, except I call them finger sticks. The reason for the name is, one manipulates wood far more on a bandsaw than one does on a table saw.

My finger sticks are, about, eight to ten inches long, sanded for comfort and notched at the tips, to give grip, even on rough or round wood. I use them nearly every time I go to the bandsaw. I embedded small rare earth magnets in the handles of the push sticks and keep one on both bandlsaws.

Make some for your bandsaw work. They'll spoil you.


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