: I'd be
: interested in knowing how the wood is ripped into such narrow strips

Hi EdP. Setup your table saw for zero clearance to keep the narrow strip from plunging into the saw. Put some feather boards on it so you get a consistent thickness. For a zero clearance saw top, I lowered the blade all the way down, clamped a piece of plywood over the blade, switched on the saw and slowly raised the spinning blade. I use a nice piece of Oak for the fence. You can also get drop-in inserts for most saws.

Yes, there are no safety features when you do this so you want to make sure to know what could happen if a strip binds, kicks back, etc. I generally shut the power when my push stick gets close to the spinning blade. I don't like cutting into the push stick because the workpiece is not under control unless it is either still attached or has the stick on it.