on't be embarassed, most lifelong woodworkers have had similar experiences. A trick I learned and use from a professional patternmaker will make you cringe but I've used it for 30+ years with tremendous success. Don't use a pushstick for those last few inches, use an icepick instead, the sharper the better. I know it sounds dangerous but believe me you can exert tremendous control and the icepick can get within 1/16" to the blade which is great for 1/4" strips. There are several (non interfering)splitter options available to solve the problem you encountered. Good luck and be careful.
Embarrassing
: I wasn’t going to mention this on the board because it is too embarrassing to
: admit to you guys and gals but this is a reminder to be cautious around
: your power tools. A week and a half ago I was cutting 3/16" walnut
: strips to a half inch width on my table saw and I was being careful by
: pushing the 18 inch long strips through with a safety stick. The walnut
: started to curl against itself after the cut started and wouldn’t spread
: onto the nail I had in the table insert to keep the strip spread so it
: wouldn’t close against the saw blade. I couldn’t spread the strip with my
: left hand so I used my stronger right hand to do it. My left hand drifted
: back into the saw blade taking off ½" of my thumb. What should I have
: done! My feather board was set for the height of ¾" thick boards and
: I should have lowered it to 3/16" and it would have covered the saw
: blade but since I was only cutting a few boards it didn’t seem necessary
: and I couldn’t have guessed this walnut grain would close the cut part of
: the walnut so tightly on itself. All I can say is I have worked around
: power tools everyday for over 45 years and never had a serious mishap so
: it can happen to anybody. The good news is I think I will be back on the
: stripper in another week and have been cutting the deco pieces on the
: miter saw.

: John