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How to cut metal with a jigsaw: clamp, oil and feed

Updated: 22 October 2026

The blade you fitted for a shelf is still in the clamp, the pendulum is on, and the sheet is only held by one hand. That is how a fine metal tooth overheats or snaps on the first centimetre. How to cut metal with a jigsaw is mostly setup: a metal blade, orbital action off, the sheet clamped, a film of oil on the line, and a light feed. This page is the sequence for a householder cutting clamped mild sheet at home. Choosing the pitch is on the [buying guide](/hub/saw-accessories/jigsaw-blades-metal/sub/jigsaw-blades-metal-buying-guide). Packs and prices stay on the [main comparison](/hub/saw-accessories/jigsaw-blades-metal).

The blade you fitted for a shelf is still in the clamp, the pendulum is on, and the sheet is only held by one hand. That is how a fine metal tooth overheats or snaps on the first centimetre.

Our top picks

WORKPRO WORKPRO 25-piece T-shank set with case

Best overall

WORKPRO WORKPRO 25-piece T-shank set with case
8.0/10about £14.99
View offer
Bosch Bosch T118G Basic for Metal, 5 pack

Alternative

Bosch Bosch T118G Basic for Metal, 5 pack
8.7/10about £5.25
View offer
Starrett Starrett BU224 metal jigsaw blades, 5 pack

Rank 3

Starrett Starrett BU224 metal jigsaw blades, 5 pack
9.1/10about £3.89
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Fit a metal blade and switch the pendulum off
  2. 2.Clamp the sheet and cool the cut
  3. 3.Cut slowly and do not force the blade
  4. 4.Start a cut-out from a hole, then deburr
  5. 5.When a jigsaw is the wrong tool

Fit a metal blade and switch the pendulum off

Confirm a metal tooth before you touch the dial. A wood blade, or a coarse tooth from a mixed box, will skate or snatch. Machine Mart and Bosch DIY both set the pendulum to 0 for metal. On steel that forward throw heats a fine tooth. A blue shank is Bosch’s own mark, not a rule for Eclipse or Starrett. If the only blade in the case is a wood code such as a T144D, stop and change it.

Clamp the sheet and cool the cut

Support the sheet so the offcut cannot drop onto the blade, and keep G-clamps clear of the shoe. If thin sheet can drum, clamp scrap wood behind it and cut both together. Oil or cooling spray goes on the line first. Bosch DIY suggests spray or a little oil. Machine Mart suggests cutting fluid on mild steel, and a medium speed with orbital still at 0 for aluminium. Keep the shoe flat. If the sheet can flap, lubricant will not save it.
WORKPRO WORKPRO 25-piece T-shank set with case

Testsieger

WORKPRO WORKPRO 25-piece T-shank set with case
8.0/10about £14.99
View offer

Cut slowly and do not force the blade

Let the blade reach speed, then feed so the tooth cuts rather than rubs. Machine Mart says not to force the cut. One Wickes own-brand manual charts metal at speed 3–4 on a 1–6 dial and warns that a prolonged very low speed can harm the motor. That chart belongs to that saw. If the blade dulls at once, check orbital action, thickness against the pitch, and a dry forced cut. Let the blade stop before you touch it. The fresh edge is sharp.

Start a cut-out from a hole, then deburr

Do not plunge into steel. One UK manual limits plunge cutting to soft materials. Drill a starter hole the blade can enter without bending, then come in with the shoe flat. A 50 mm blade finishes a shallow cut-out and runs out of length on a deep return. Dress the burr with a file once the blade has stopped. Bosch DIY pairs that with eye and ear protection and gloves. HSE’s point on chips is spectacles, goggles or a face screen that fits. Gloves are not a reason to hold the sheet.

When a jigsaw is the wrong tool

Stop for structural steel, thick plate, or stainless you will cut again and again. A finer HSS code does not turn a jigsaw into a cold saw. Unclamped sheet and a damaged clamp belong on the same list. Hand that work to a competent person with the right machine. Stainless needs a blade the maker rates for it. That split is on HSS vs bi-metal jigsaw blades. If the setup is right and the tooth still will not track, the pitch is wrong.

Common questions

What setting should the pendulum be on for metal?
Set orbital action, or the pendulum, to 0. Bosch DIY and Machine Mart both say that for metal. The forward throw that helps in timber heats and can bend a fine metal tooth. Leave it off for the whole cut, including the test cut on an offcut.
How fast should I run the jigsaw on steel?
Use a low to medium speed on mild steel so the tooth cuts without rubbing itself blue. There is no single dial position for every saw. One own-brand manual charts metal around the middle of a six-step dial and warns that a very low speed held for a long time can harm the motor. Make a short test cut and adjust.
Do I need cutting oil or cooling spray?
Yes for mild steel. A film of oil or a cooling spray on the line is what Bosch DIY and a typical UK manual describe. It cools the tooth. It does not fix a sheet that is flapping or a pendulum that is still switched on. Aluminium is often cut at a medium speed with orbital still at 0.
How do I stop thin sheet rattling?
Clamp it, and put scrap wood behind it if it can drum, then cut the wood and the metal together. Support the offcut so it cannot drop and pinch the blade. A fine tooth reduces snatch compared with a coarse metal blade, but the clamp is what stops the rattle.
Can I plunge-cut a hole in sheet metal?
No. Drill a clearance hole and start the jigsaw from that hole with the shoe flat. A UK manual limits plunge cutting to soft materials. Twisting the saw to force an entry bends a fine blade and leaves a scar in the panel.
What should I wear?
Eye protection, because of chips and hot particles, plus hearing protection and gloves, as Bosch DIY states for metal sawing. The fresh edge is sharp. HSE’s PPE note is about hazards and a fit that works, not a foundry suit. Clamp the sheet rather than holding it in a gloved hand.
Why did the blade blunt on the first cut?
Check orbital action, whether the sheet is thicker than the pitch, and whether the cut was dry and forced. Those three explain most “dead in seconds” results. If the description on the pack was wrong, that is a separate complaint. Buying the same code again will not fix a pendulum that is still on.

Related pages

Jigsaw blades for thin sheet metal

Metal jigsaw blades

Best jigsaw blades for metal by the sheet thickness

Jigsaw blades for metal: pitch, shank, metal count

HSS vs bi-metal jigsaw blades: straight cut or flex

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.

  1. Bosch Professional GB: T118G Basic for Metal (retrieved October 2026)
  2. Bosch Professional GB: T118A Basic for Metal (retrieved October 2026)
  3. Bosch Professional GB: T118B Basic for Metal (retrieved October 2026)
  4. Bosch DIY UK: cutting metal (retrieved October 2026)
  5. Machine Mart: how to use a jigsaw (retrieved October 2026)
  6. Tooled-up: choosing jigsaw blades (retrieved October 2026)
  7. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 11 (retrieved October 2026)