When ripping with a table saw, the wood is cut by the spinning blade shearing the fibers along the grain as you push the board lengthwise past the blade and fence.

What “ripping” actually is

  • Ripping = cutting with the grain, not across it.
  • The board travels lengthwise along the fence, and the blade removes a strip from the edge.
  • Typical uses: sizing boards to width, breaking down long stock, trimming panels.

How the blade cuts the wood

Think of the blade as a fast-moving wheel of tiny chisels.

  • The blade rotates toward you at the top and away at the bottom; teeth enter the wood from the top surface.
  • Each tooth digs into the wood, shears fibers along the grain, and pulls chips up into the gullets (the curved spaces between teeth).
  • Rip blades usually have flat‑top teeth and fewer teeth (around 24) so they cut aggressively and clear chips quickly.

As the wood moves forward, the front of the blade is doing most of the cutting, and the back of the blade can rub the fresh edge if alignment is off, which causes burning or marks.

Role of the fence and feed

  • The fence keeps the board parallel to the blade and fixes the final width of the rip.
  • You push the board forward while keeping it snug to the fence; the blade cuts off the waste strip between blade and fence.
  • Feed too slowly and the blade burns the wood; feed too fast and the blade can deflect, giving a wavy cut. The “just right” feed feels smooth and sounds steady.

What happens inside the wood

Wood fibers run like a bundle of straws; ripping cuts lengthwise through those “straws.”

  • Straight grain: fibers cut cleanly and the board tracks well.
  • Wavy/figured grain: fibers twist, tension can pinch the blade, and the board may push sideways, raising kickback risk.
  • Wet or resinous wood: more friction, more heat, rougher surface.

This is why rip cuts feel different from crosscuts and why a dedicated rip blade is often used.

Very short, practical picture

When you rip on a table saw:

  1. The fence sets the width and keeps the board straight.
  1. The spinning blade’s teeth enter from the top, chisel out long chips, and shear fibers along the grain.
  1. The offcut peels away on the blade side, and the main piece rides against the fence with a new straight, sawn edge.

TL;DR: Wood is cut in a rip by the blade’s teeth acting like tiny chisels that slice and lift fibers along the grain while the fence guides the board in a straight, controlled path past the blade.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.