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How to use a Bosch jigsaw

Updated: 21 October 2026

The blade snaps, or the line wanders, when the shoe lifts or the cut starts in material the manual excludes. How to use a Bosch jigsaw is a short sequence: isolate the saw, seat the blade, clamp the work, then cut with both hands and the shoe flat. You should finish knowing the pendulum setting, the only plunge Bosch allows, and when to stop. Prices stay on the [Bosch jigsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/bosch-jigsaw). Products Compared used Bosch's UK jigsaw guide, the PST 700 E working advice and the HSE wood-dust page on 19 October 2026. We did not cut a test panel. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

The blade snaps, or the line wanders, when the shoe lifts or the cut starts in material the manual excludes.

Our top picks

Bosch Professional Bosch GST 18V-125 S

Best overall

Bosch Professional Bosch GST 18V-125 S
9.6/10about £207.12
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Bosch Bosch PST 700 E

Best value

Bosch Bosch PST 700 E
9.4/10about £44.99
View offer
Bosch Bosch PST 800 PEL

Rank 3

Bosch Bosch PST 800 PEL
9.4/10about £59.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Make the saw safe before it spins
  2. 2.Cut with the shoe flat and the pendulum matched to the face
  3. 3.Plunge only where Bosch allows it
  4. 4.When the jigsaw is the wrong tool

Make the saw safe before it spins

Unplug the cord, or take the battery off, before your hands go near the blade. Push the blade in until it clicks, tug it, and only then restore power. Keep a corded cable behind the shoe. On a cordless body, the pack goes back on last. Wear safety glasses. If you employ people, HSE expects wood dust captured rather than swept. Action values are 2.5 and 5 m/s² A(8) for vibration and 80 and 85 dB(A) for noise, with a noise limit of 87 dB(A). A Bosch bullet is not that daily dose. Which body to buy is on the Bosch jigsaw buying guide.

Cut with the shoe flat and the pendulum matched to the face

Clamp the board so the offcut can fall. Bosch wants both hands on the saw, the shoe flat, and pressure only along the cut. If you push sideways, the blade bows and snaps. Start the motor before the teeth touch. A lower rate suits plastic and aluminium. Full speed for hard metal is not permission to plunge. Pendulum at 0 is Bosch's start for a clean face, including a shelf of about 20–30 mm. The PST 700 E bullets do not name that dial. A faced board is on Bosch jigsaw laminate flooring.
Bosch Professional Bosch GST 18V-125 S

Testsieger

Bosch Professional Bosch GST 18V-125 S
9.6/10about £207.12
View offer

Plunge only where Bosch allows it

Bosch's PST 700 E working advice allows a plunge only in soft material, such as wood or gypsum board, only with a short blade, and only at 0 degrees. Rest the nose of the shoe down, keep the blade clear, start, and tilt in until the shoe sits flat. Steel is not a plunge. Drill a starter hole and use coolant or lubricant. Take the splinter guard off before a bevel.

When the jigsaw is the wrong tool

The PST 700 E manual says a long straight cut in wood thicker than 40 mm may not stay accurate, and it points you to a circular saw. Use the jigsaw for the curve, the notch and the cut-out. Stop if the board might be asbestos, if the timber is structural, or if a cable or pipe has not been located. A blower moves dust off the line and does not replace extraction. Named picks are on the best Bosch jigsaw page.

Common questions

How do I fit a Bosch jigsaw blade?
Unplug the saw or remove the battery. Wear gloves, push the blade up until it clicks, and tug it to confirm the lock. Restore power only after your hands are clear and the shoe can sit on the work. Keep the cable behind the cut. If the holder needs an Allen key, use the key the manual shows.
Which pendulum setting should I use?
Set pendulum to 0 when the face has to stay clean, which is Bosch's starting point for reducing tear-out on ordinary shelves. Raise it only for a fast, rough cut in thicker timber where the edge will be hidden. Higher settings cut faster and leave a rougher edge.
How do I plunge cut a worktop or a plasterboard patch?
Mark the opening. Rest the nose of the shoe on the surface with a short blade clear of the board, at 0 degrees. Start the motor, tilt the blade in until the shoe is flat, then follow the line. Bosch limits that move to soft material such as wood and gypsum board. Metal does not.
Can I plunge cut steel?
No. Drill a starter hole and enter through that hole, with coolant or lubricant, at a stroke rate Bosch's guide sets to full speed for hard metal. Tilting the blade into solid steel is outside the PST 700 E working advice and is how blades snap. A thin aluminium trim is still a metal cut: starter hole, lower speed than you would use to punch the sheet, and no plunge from the surface.
Why does the cut wander on a long straight line?
The blade is narrow, and a long rip asks it to steer. The PST 700 E manual flags wood thicker than 40 mm on a long straight cut and points to a circular saw. Wandering also comes from a lifted shoe, sideways pressure, or a blunt blade. Clamp the work, keep the shoe flat, and save the jigsaw for the curve. CutControl on the PST 800 PEL helps mid-board and, in UK reviews, loses the line at the end.
When should I stop and call a joiner or an electrician?
Stop if the board might contain asbestos, if the timber is structural, or if the cut runs through a wall where you have not found the cables and pipes. Stop if the work is daily employee cutting and you are about to treat a declared vibration number as a legal all-clear. A single shelf in sound timber, with the blade isolated while you fit it, is still a home job. A load-bearing notch is not.

Related pages

Corded or cordless Bosch jigsaw

Bosch jigsaw

Best Bosch jigsaw for the job: socket, pack, depth

Bosch jigsaw buying guide: plug, depth and batteries

Bosch jigsaw for laminate: blade, pendulum and guard

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Bosch UK pages and the listings were checked on 19 October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for this set.

  1. Bosch DIY jigsaw range (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Bosch DIY how to use a jigsaw (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Bosch Professional jigsaw range (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional GST 18V-125 S (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Bosch Professional GST 18V-125 B (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Bosch PST 700 E manual, plunge limits (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. HSE wood dust (retrieved 19 October 2026)