Glossary
kickback
Kickback is a power saw throwing the work — or itself — back at the operator, and it happens when the blade grabs the material instead of cutting it cleanly.
Kickback is the violent throwing-back of a power saw's work, or of the saw itself, and it happens when the blade grabs the material instead of cutting it. The forces leave at the speed of the teeth, so the work can cross a shop before the operator has time to react.
The usual causes are pinching, where the cut closes on the blade as the material releases stress or as it is fed crooked; feeding too fast; cutting with a dull blade; cutting a piece that is not supported or clamped; and running the blade set too high. Each of those gives the teeth a chance to bite and lift rather than slice.
Prevention follows the causes: support and clamp the work, keep the blade sharp and set so it just clears the material, feed at a steady rate, keep the guard and riving knife in place, and stand to one side of the blade's path rather than behind it.
Taught in
Related terms
- circular saw — A circular saw is a power saw with a toothed disc that spins up through the base plate. The blade is set to clear the material, and the saw is pushed forward through the cut.
Source: Official ASVAB — subtest descriptions (what each subtest asks) and the CAT-ASVAB scored-question counts (accessed 2026-09)