Festool PSC 420 Carvex: light pendulum jigsaw

The listing in brief

The bullets are short: perfect handling at any radius, a package quantity of one, Germany as the country of origin and the package size. The specs add a listed 3,800 strokes per minute, a 45 degree cutting angle and the 1.78 kg weight.

There is no stated cutting depth, number of pendulum settings or description of dust extraction, so check Festool's own information before buying.

Light weight in use

A lighter jigsaw is easier to guide through tight curves and to hold steady when cutting at an angle or above a bench. For cabinet makers cutting curved components all day, a few hundred grams less than the DeWalt DCS335N or Bosch GST 18V-155 BC adds up over a shift.

Low weight also reduces the tendency to push the saw too hard. Letting the blade do the work produces cleaner edges and longer blade life, whichever jigsaw you choose.

Grip choice

Festool makes the Carvex in two grips. The PSBC 420 listing describes itself as the D handle version, so the PSC is the alternative layout. The PSC listing does not name its grip style, so look at product photos to confirm it suits the way you work.

System and cost

Festool's cordless tools share batteries across the range, and the Basic version suits users who already own them. Starting from scratch on Festool is a large outlay, and the brief listings make it hard to compare features directly with the Bosch, DeWalt or Metabo models.

If you already run Festool cordless sanders or drills, the case for the Carvex is stronger because the batteries are already on the bench.

Alternatives

The Metabo STA 18 LTX 150 BL is also light at 1.9 kg and comes with blades and a case. The HiKOKI CJ18DB lists 135 mm capacity at 1.8 kg.