-MIKE- wrote in :

Ok, I'm picturing that fine and understand what you're describing.
I guess what I'm having trouble picturing is how that wedge can fall
into the blade when it's still connected to the longer stock.

I cut tapers with the blade entering the stock at the end and exiting on the side. I've found that
cutting the other way, entering on the side and exiting at the end, can produce some deflection
of the blade at entry.