In another post I said that I use $2 magnets from Sears behind my blade. It pulls the blade flat into the surface of the magnet, and as long as you don't let the edge protrude beyond the magnets, it and you are protected. You can hold the magnets or stick them to a metal surface, like an anvil, and work with two hands. Using the magnets I can work as close as I like to the edge without worrying about the direction of dreml rotation.
And... it helps dissapate the heat generated.