Dewalt Blade Clamp, 4 Position

I was working with a Milwaukee 6515-20 Sawzall 18-Volt and a 18v Milwaukee drill that are 8 years old. They are working fine the batteries were getting expensive. My solution was, to treat myself and to buy Dewalt that was on sale. I use the saw primarily for pruning trees. I love shade trees and managed to plant over 200 on the property, the down side is some heavy pruning every few years. I went to work with the Dewalt DC387 the first thing I noticed was the noise then the vibration. Thinking it was the 9 inch wood cutting blade, I removed it and ran the tool no change. I picked up my old 8 year old saw and was happy less noise and less vibration. One day I used the Dewalt without gloves, after an hour I had developed a blister on the palm of my hand.I gave the saw a second star only because it will fit between studs for one project. I can not recommend this saw, I would not purchase it again.

This tool is identical in functionality to the DCS380 reciprocating saw, but the motor has been relocated to a diagonal position just in front of the trigger, shortening the tool. It’s also the cordless equivalent to the, similarly redesigned, corded DWE357.The tool DOES have the better 4-way head with quick-release latch like the DCS380, as compared to the 2-way head the lesser/cheaper DCS385 cordless saw has. It does NOT have a extending shoe of the DCS380 though due to its’ compact nature. It does swivel but doesn’t extend.I can’t attach photos to this review or item at the moment but check out the bare tool here on amazon (search for DCS387B), I uploaded a few photos of the 387 versus 380..My impression so far is that this saw handles/performs just like the DCS380, and you should probably just compare prices, or pick this one if that few inches of compactness is a huge deal to you. Also, if you’re buying the DCS380P1 kit, the “P” means a 5.0aH battery, while the DCS380 usually comes in a “L” kit (3.0aH) or “M” kit (4.0 aH).Hope that helps!edit 10/28/14: as a commenter mentioned (and I forgot to!), this tool has the LED lighting with delayed turn-off, it’s located just below the moving head of the tool, and shines through the inside of the shoe’s cutout for the head. Most of my Dewalt 20V tools have this feature, and you don’t know how much you’re missing out until you try it. The DCS380 does not have this LED light.

I’ve used Dewalt 18v tools for 18 yrs so I am very used to how they perform. I recently bought the 20v brushless drill/impact combo and I was looking to add to my new collection. I liked the shorter length of this because it would be easier to carry on my van. I am very impressed. With the shorter length is has a much more balanced feel to it and the power is vastly superior to the old 18v model. I can’t see any reason why a professional wouldn’t like this saw.

Super Dewalt quality. Looking at the unique design, I wondered about how this saw would feel when in use. Let me say, this saw is a pleasure to use, I feel I have more control compared to the traditional design. But, there are times when the longer type of saw gives you that “extra” bit of reach. Conclusion, if I needed to buy one again, I would choose this one. And, by the way, these Dewalt 20 volt lithium batteries are great, very good, with a long run time. I have the 2, 3 and 4 ah for all the different tools. 2ah is adequate for the drills, for this saw I use the 3 or 4 ah. Please remember, lithium batteries should NOT be run down all the way. When the fuel gauge only has one led lit, let the battery cool down, charge it, let it rest a while, then put it back to work. Of course the extra smart Dewalt charger won’t charge a hot battery, until it cools down.

This is a tool only version. Perfect if you are already invested in the Dewalt tool system. Unit itself looks well built, typical Dewalt quality. Has a good weight to it but not too heavy. Adding a battery 4A battery pack to it did not off balance the tool. It felt comfortable in my hands and also during operation. I like the safety switch so you can lock the trigger and not accidentally turn it on if when switching blades. Or if you have curious little ones running around, they won’t accidentally turn it on. I usually remove the battery, it’s a habit I have when using power tools. After I am done with it, even for a minute, I will unplug the power source. Installation of your choice of blades is straight forward. flip the tab on the side of the unit and slide the blade in. One thing I did not like is that you have to keep holding that tab up. It’s spring loaded so if you let go, it locks it again. Personally, I prefer one that you unlock and then lock but that’s a minor gripe. You can mount your blades in a variety of ways to fit your work situation. The instructions provided is clear.I needed a reciprocating saw for a quick project and used it to cut through two cedar fence ties stacked on top of one another. I had to cut from the bottom up (backwards) due to space constraints and this is where the compact design of the tool shined. If this was a regular sized recip saw, I would not have enough room to work work. The compact size allowed me to fit into a tight spot and still keep control of the tool while in operation. Grip on the saw was good and I felt in control of it. The saw does kick back a bit but use some common sense, hold it steady and don’t force it to cut faster than it can manage and you won’t have any issues.I used Diablo blades with the saw as I’ve had good experiences with the in the past with saw blades. The combo was perfect for my needs and made quick work of cutting through both ties quickly.

This saw is fantastic. I just got it but have so far used it to take down and cut into to manageable pieces a diseased fruit tree in my backyard. It sliced through the wood effortlessly. I was mostly using it one-handed which its small size makes possible.Buyers should note, this is bare tool only. The product does not come with a battery, charger or saw blades. These must be purchased separately if not already owned. I already owned several DeWalt 20v tools so didn’t need any more batteries or chargers, but I did pick up a set of DeWalt reciprocating saw blades here on Amazon as well.As with all things DeWalt, I have no reservations in recommending this product to others.

I use it for gardening. Fitted with a Lee Valley tree branch cutting blade it works just perfectly for a guy who operates a chain saw so infrequently I’m not safe to be around!It also works great cutting metal with that blade. I imagine wood will be fine too but I have a corded Bosch for that.

Hard to complain about dewalt tools, they are dependable and with the 20v system the batteries are all interchangeable between tool. This saw has great power