Rob from Make Things shared the woodworking tips featured in this video.
Climb cutting is one of the most debated techniques in routing, and for good reason. Feeding a router the wrong way can turn a simple pass into a dangerous situation, but there are specific moments when reversing the feed direction actually produces a cleaner cut. This video breaks down what climb cutting is, why it works, and the rules that keep it safe.
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Conventional vs. Climb Cutting
Rob starts by explaining the two ways a workpiece can move relative to a spinning router bit. A conventional cut feeds the stock against the direction of bit rotation, which means the bit pushes back against the wood as it cuts. This resistance is a good thing, since it gives the woodworker control over the feed rate and keeps the cut predictable.
A climb cut reverses that relationship. Instead of pushing back, the bit tries to pull the workpiece along with it, essentially climbing through the material. This is why an uncontrolled climb cut can send a board flying, similar to feeding a board backward through a table saw blade.
Why Bother With a Riskier Cut
If climb cutting is so dangerous, why use it at all? Rob points to tear out as the main reason. Wood grain doesn’t always run in a single, predictable direction, especially around corners or in figured lumber with reversing or interlocked grain.
When a bit meets those fibers from the wrong angle, it can lift and split them ahead of the cut, leaving damage that’s difficult to fix on a finished edge. Slowing down and taking lighter passes helps to a point, but it doesn’t change the direction of the grain itself. A climb cut approaches those fibers from the opposite side, making it far less likely that the bit gets underneath them and tears them out.
Rob demonstrates this under magnification, comparing the two results side by side. The climb-cut edge comes out noticeably smoother, while the conventional cut on the same piece shows rough, torn fibers.
The Ground Rules for Router Tables
Before attempting a climb cut, there are some non-negotiable safety guidelines. On a router table, the bit stays fixed while the workpiece moves, so a grab can pull the board away suddenly and drag hands toward the bit in the process.
The fix is to never rely on finger pressure alone. Locking the stock into a jig and gripping the jig itself, rather than the board, keeps hands at a safe distance if the bit decides to grab.
The Ground Rules for Handheld Routers
Handheld routers introduce a different hazard. Here, the concern is the router becoming trapped in the cut, which can happen with jigs like circle-cutting templates that lock the router into a fixed path.
If the bit grabs in that scenario, the jig keeps guiding the router along the cut, making it much harder to stop the tool before it does damage. Keeping the router moving and never letting it hover in one place is key to avoiding this kind of runaway situation.
Keeping the Bit Under Control
Regardless of setup, the size of the cut and the size of the bit both matter. Climb cutting works best with light, shallow passes rather than large bites of material.
A small bit is far easier to manage than a large one, since bigger bits generate more force and can overpower a light grip. Rob compares the process to whittling, taking small, controlled passes rather than trying to remove a lot of material at once.
Body positioning also plays a role. Planting both feet, keeping two hands on the router, and holding the tool out in front like a set of handlebars all help maintain control if the bit tries to grab.
The Best Time to Use It: Cleanup Passes
Rob’s preferred method is to treat climb cutting as a finishing touch rather than the primary cutting strategy. Most of the material gets removed with a conventional cut, stopping just shy of the final edge.
The last sliver of material is then cleaned up with a light climb cut, which minimizes tear out on the finished surface without exposing the workpiece to a large, aggressive climb pass. Throughout this final pass, keeping the router moving is important, since letting it linger in one spot builds up heat and can scorch the wood.
As a final touch, Rob goes back over the area with one very light conventional pass. Climb cuts can leave a slightly wavy surface, and this last pass smooths out any inconsistencies left behind.
Final Thoughts on an Advanced Technique
Climb cutting isn’t something that needs to be part of every routing operation, and the caution surrounding it is well earned. It demands focus, a steady hand, and a real understanding of how the router and bit will behave under load.
Part of using it effectively comes down to reading the wood itself, recognizing grain patterns that are likely to tear out, and knowing when a controlled climb pass can solve a problem that a conventional cut can’t. Used sparingly and carefully, it’s a technique that can save a project from a ruined edge.
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Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
Rob’s breakdown here lines up with how most experienced woodworkers treat climb cutting: it’s a tool for specific situations, not a default approach. The light cleanup pass method he demonstrates is really the safest way to get familiar with the technique, since you’re only removing a tiny sliver of material and the consequences of a grab are much smaller than if you tried to climb cut through a full-depth pass.
One thing worth adding on the router table side: featherboards can work alongside a locked jig to give you extra insurance against kickback, especially on narrower stock where clamping a jig isn’t practical. They won’t replace good hand positioning, but they add another layer of control feeding into the cut.
For handheld routing, bit choice matters as much as technique. A sharp bit with clean, sharp cutting edges will need less force to do its job, which means less chance of it grabbing aggressively in the first place. A dull bit forces you to push harder, and that extra pressure is exactly what makes a climb cut unpredictable. If you’re experimenting with this technique, it’s worth starting on scrap with the sharpest bit you own before trying it on a finished piece.
Grain reading is really the heart of this whole technique. Spend time before the cut looking at how the fibers run, especially around figure or curves, and you’ll get a much better sense of when a climb pass is going to help versus when it’s just adding risk for no real benefit.