A DeWALT reciprocating saw can into a number of issues. Usually, these have to do with the blade on the device, which you’ll see users complaining about the most.
There’s other things too, though. So, if you’re facing problems with your DeWALT reciprocating saw, read the list of troubleshooting tips below as I’ll go over the most common ones.
Troubleshooting 4 Common DeWALT Reciprocating Saw Problems
- Saw Not Cutting Straight
Reciprocating saws need to be precise and accurate. They need to be able to cut straight, exactly as users need them to. But, that might not always happen with the DeWALT reciprocating saw.
If you ever run into trouble with how the blade is cutting, it’s often the blade’s fault itself. These blades are put through a lot of force and friction during use, and this eventually changes their shape.
They’ll start to get jagged and blunt. Because of that, they won’t cut as good as they did before. So, if your DeWALT reciprocating saw isn’t cutting straight, it’s likely because you need to change the blade.
How long has it been since the last time you put on a new blade? If it’s been a long while, changing the current blade will fix things. I put on a new blade too recently, which you can see down here,
Although, if you have a newer blade and the tool still doesn’t seem to be cutting straight, it could be because of the housing of the blade. It could be dirty or the blade may not be sitting right inside.
Inspect the housing after taking the blade off. Use cloths and brushes to clean it up and get rid of any debris in there. After sweeping that way, put the blade back on carefully and properly.
If something seems off with the housing (as in, if there’s any notable damage or bending), you’ll have to replace it. Otherwise, the blade will stay skewed and won’t cut right.
- Keeps Cutting Off During Use
There are prongs on both the DeWALT reciprocating saw and its battery. These prongs are the connection points of both these devices, and are what conduct power from the battery to the tool.
Now, usually this flow of power goes without any trouble since the prongs are made to be perfectly compatible. But, some things can still ruin that connection between them.
The photo down here shows the points that I’m talking about, just in case you weren’t sure. Now, for the important part. What about this exactly leads to the tool cutting off during use?
Well, if these contact points on either the battery or the saw itself ever get dirty, that dirt can stop power from flowing. Debris gets in the way and makes the connection loose.
This can make the DeWALT reciprocating saw cut out in the middle of use. Luckily, it’s not that hard of a fix. All you have to do is use a contact cleaner to wipe off these points on both things.
Clean the ones on the battery, and the ones on the saw as well. Now run the tool, and you’ll see it was enough to stop the reciprocating saw from turning off.
- Trigger Not Pressing Down All The Way
Triggers tend to be a sensitive part of any tool. Anyone that has a lot of power tools surely knows about that. They’re so important, and yet they start running into issues so easily.
Unsurprisingly, this is the case for triggers on a DeWALT reciprocating saw too. One specific problem is the trigger not pressing fully. There’s a lot of resistance, and it feels stuck in place.
This is usually something that happens because of debris too. It gets in the crevices of the trigger mechanism, and starts piling up in corners. Those pile-ups stop the trigger from pressing all the way.
Much like the contact points from earlier, you’ll have to clean these off as well. However, for that, you’ll need a better view of the trigger by taking off the covers like I did in the image below.
Compressed air around the trigger should help get rid of most of the debris. But, don’t blow it directly on any components to avoid damage.
Another way to do it is by spraying contact cleaner directly. With the covers back on, apply the cleaner. Put the nozzle on top of the crevices surrounding the trigger and tool’s casing.
Now, after pointing it at that spot, keep releasing the spray. That should drain out any of the gunk that’s making it hard to fully press the trigger, and get the mechanism working again.
- Reciprocating Saw Blade Not Moving
Stuck saw blades are super annoying, and unfortunately not uncommon. It’s something DeWALT reciprocating saw users might run into too.
When the blade sticks to place, it won’t move during use, and it’s even hard to get out of the tool. Fixing this requires taking the blade out, though, so that’s exactly what we’ll focus on doing.
Easy way to do this would be to apply a lot of lubricant directly around the blade and its housing. That should help slip it out of place and get it out of the tool, like mine in the image down here.
If just lubrication doesn’t work, another thing to try is holding the release lever and then running the saw. This will help it wriggle out of place on its own and fall right out of the tool.
Keep the DeWALT reciprocating saw far away from yourself while trying this. Only run it for a few seconds while holding the release lever, and that’ll be enough time for the blade to slip out.
Not being careful could lead to injury, but nothing should happen if you’re careful and do as I said. After that, carefully put the blade back on and lock it into place correctly so it doesn’t stop moving again.
