How to use a jigsaw
Updated: 16 October 2026
The saw is on the bench, the line is on the board, and the first trigger is where most cuts go wrong. How to use a jigsaw, for a shelf or a door, is a short order: power off, blade locked, work clamped, shoe flat, and the blade stopped before it leaves the cut. Which model to buy stays on the [jigsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/jigsaw). Tight curves are on [how to cut curves with a jigsaw](/hub/power-saws/jigsaw/sub/jigsaw-curves). Listing conflicts stay on the [jigsaw buying guide](/hub/power-saws/jigsaw/sub/jigsaw-buying-guide). Products Compared did not film a cut.
The saw is on the bench, the line is on the board, and the first trigger is where most cuts go wrong.
The saw is on the bench, the line is on the board, and the first trigger is where most cuts go wrong. How to use a jigsaw, for a shelf or a door, is a short order: power off, blade locked, work clamped, shoe flat, and the blade stopped before it leaves the cut. Which model to buy stays on the jigsaw comparison. Tight curves are on how to cut curves with a jigsaw. Listing conflicts stay on the jigsaw buying guide. Products Compared did not film a cut.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Blade change | Sight aid | Dust | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Bosch Bosch PST 700 E 500 W | SDS click | Not stated | Air blast | 9.2 | about £44.99 | View offer |
| Preis-Tipp |  HYCHIKA HYCHIKA 800 W corded jigsaw | Quick release | Laser | Vacuum adapter | 9.1 | about £32.19 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Enventor Enventor 800 W corded jigsaw | Easier on orbit 3 | LED | 39 mm port | 6.8 | about £36.99 | View offer |
On this page
Before the plug goes in
Unplug the saw before you touch the blade, or take the battery off. Electrical Safety First wants a UK 3-pin plug and fuse, and the lead behind the cut so you do not saw through it. A bent pin or a damaged plug is a return. Do not bend the pin back. A listing that prints 220 V or 240 V is still a mains saw.
Fit the blade with the teeth facing forward, towards the shoe, so it cuts on the upstroke. Tug it before you restore power. Bosch DIY describes an SDS click. One 400 W DEKOPRO released the blade as it was switched on. A clamp that fails the tug does not get a second chance. The Enventor seats more easily with orbital on 3 than on 0. Set that knob, then tug. On any other saw, do not copy it.
Clamp, shoe and the first centimetre
Clamp the work so the offcut can fall rather than pinch the blade. If you cannot clamp it, you are not ready to cut it. The shoe has to sit flat for the whole cut, or you will cut a bevel you did not set. SGS suggests a timber batten on a straight line so the shoe runs against the timber.
Start the blade before it touches the wood, sit the shoe flat, then feed with light pressure. If you push hard, the blade bends and the top face tears, because the teeth cut on the upstroke. Tape or a scrap strip on the show face keeps the chips in the waste. A lock-on switch is for a long cut after the shoe is stable.
Dust, noise and how long to keep cutting
You need eye protection. Electrical Safety First also says a dust mask, and to consider hearing protection. A blower that clears the pencil line still leaves you breathing the dust. On the 800 W DEKOPRO, reviews say that air hits your face, especially if you are right-handed. Afterwards, do not sweep a workshop clear and do not blow the bench off. Use a vacuum or a damp cloth.
At work, HSE’s action value is 2.5 m/s² A(8) and the limit is 5 m/s² A(8). Only the Bosch prints ah 10.0 m/s², about half an hour on HSE’s points table, and that figure does not transfer to the other saws. If your fingers tingle or turn white, stop. Hardwood dust at work is limited to 3 mg/m³ and softwood to 5 mg/m³.
When you put the saw down
Wait until the blade has stopped before you lift it. Bosch DIY is explicit, because a moving blade chips the edge and can throw the saw. Unplug, or remove the battery, before you change the blade. A metal cut wants a fine blade and orbit off, if the saw has that control.
Stop for structural timber, a hidden cable or pipe, or a costly worktop you have not cut. The corded versus cordless choice does not make that safer. Also stop if the blade will not lock, the saw smokes, the plug is damaged, or a switch stays on. One Mekturm review says the saw smoked on the second use. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Common questions
Do I unplug before I change the blade?
Yes. Pull the plug, or take the battery off, before your fingers are near the clamp. Fit the blade, tug it, and only then restore power. Electrical Safety First wants a UK 3-pin plug that is not damaged, with the lead kept behind the cut.
Why does the top of the board splinter?
The teeth lift the fibres as they leave the top face. A coarse blade, a high orbit and a heavy feed make it worse. A finer blade, tape, or a scrap strip on the line keeps the breakout in the waste. A splinter guard is not in the Bosch PST 700 E title, so do not assume the box contains one.
How do I keep a straight line?
Clamp a timber batten along the pencil line and run the shoe against it, which is the SGS method. Light pressure and a flat shoe matter more than staring at the blade. Do not follow the laser on the DEKOPRO 800 W or the HYCHIKA. Reviews say those beams miss the blade, including a HYCHIKA note of about 4 cm short. If the cut still wanders, the shoe may be out of square or the blade too coarse.
What is the lock-on switch for?
Lock-on holds the trigger for a long cut once the shoe is flat and the feed is steady. Avoid it for the first centimetre, for a curve, and whenever you cannot reach the plug. One KS701EK review says the switch stuck on and the saw ran until it was unplugged. If that happens, kill the power at the plug or the battery. Do not pick a moving saw up off the board.
When do I stop and call someone?
Stop for structural timber, for a line that may hide a cable or a pipe, and for a costly worktop you have not cut before. Stop if your fingers tingle, go numb or turn white. Stop if the saw smokes, will not switch off, drops its blade, or has a damaged plug. That is the point a joiner, or an electrician where a cable is likely, should take over. Another pass with a coarser blade is not the fix.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings used for this comparison, last checked on 15 October 2026.
- Electrical Safety First, electric jigsaws (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE INDG175, hand-arm vibration (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE, Worried about your hands? (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE, Wood dust (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- BSI, BS EN 62841-2-11:2016+A11:2024 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, UKCA or CE marking in Great Britain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- amazon.co.uk listings for the eleven jigsaws in this set (retrieved 15 October 2026)