The Festool HKC 55 K Cordless Carpentry Saw (578303) is a battery-powered circular saw designed for rip cuts, crosscuts, and angled cuts in framing lumber and sheet material up to 2-1/8-in. (55mm) thick, on the jobsite or off the guide rail freehand. This is a cordless carpentry saw built for framers, roofers, deck builders, and general contractors who need one saw that handles both rough cutting and repeatable, guide-rail-precise crosscuts without swapping tools. It replaces SKU 576164, the HKC 55 Basic, and this generation brings a real functional upgrade rather than a cosmetic refresh: sensor-based KickbackStop is genuinely new here, added specifically because the previous-generation saw did not have any kickback-arresting technology at all.

KickbackStop reacts in a fraction of a second to arrest the motor and blade if the saw binds or kicks back mid-cut, which cuts down on the disruption — and the risk — that comes with a jammed blade on a jobsite saw. Alongside that new safety system, this saw also picks up a thinner blade: a new 1/16-in. (1.6mm) thin-kerf blade replaces the 1.8mm blade used on the previous generation, cutting with less resistance for longer runtime and noticeably higher torque, especially when paired with Festool's TBX 8 Tabless Battery. Idle speed is also faster on this model, running at 5,200 RPM versus 4,500 RPM on the saw it replaces — a real increase in cutting speed, not just a spec sheet number. Bevel adjustment runs from 0 to 50 degrees, which is unchanged from the previous generation and already covers the range most framing and sheathing work requires.

Beyond raw cutting power, the HKC 55 K is built to function as a mobile miter saw system when paired with Festool's FSK cross-cutting guide rail, available in 9-3/4-in, 16-1/2-in, and 26-3/8-in cutting lengths. Built-in angle guides from -60 to +60 degrees give you repeatable angled crosscuts, and an automatic return function resets the saw to the start of the cut after each pass — useful when you're crosscutting a stack of deck boards or roof battens to the same length one after another. A conveniently placed guard lever opens the blade guard for a clear view of the cut line while keeping your hand clear of the blade, and a built-in riving knife keeps the blade from binding in the material as you push through a rip cut. Depth of cut adjusts with a spring-supported plunge function, so you can preset a depth and start the cut mid-material rather than only from an edge.

System compatibility runs through Festool's 18V battery platform and guide rail ecosystem. The saw is optimized for the TBX 8 Tabless Battery but also runs on the standard 5.0Ah Li-HighPower pack, and it's fully compatible with Festool's straight FS guide rails for rip cuts in addition to the FSK cross-cutting rail. Blade changes use the FastFix spindle lock for quick swaps between standard 160mm blades.

This saw is built for anyone doing structural or rough carpentry work where speed, portability, and repeatable cuts matter more than fine finish work — framing crews, deck and fence builders, roofers cutting battens and sheathing to size, and general contractors who need a saw that goes from rip-cutting OSB to precise angled crosscuts without switching tools. If your work is mostly finish carpentry on hardwood and sheet goods where a thinner cut and dust extraction matter more than raw rough-cutting speed, Festool's track saw line is the better fit — the HKC 55 K is built for the framing and structural side of the job.

The Cordless Framing Saw That Finally Gets Kickback Protection

The Festool HKC 55 K takes the versatility of the saw it replaces and adds the one thing that saw was missing — real kickback protection — while also upgrading the blade and cutting speed.

• Who it's for: Framers, deck builders, and general contractors who need a cordless saw that rip-cuts rough lumber and also does clean, repeatable angled crosscuts with a guide rail.
• Why it stands out: Sensor-based KickbackStop is a genuinely new safety feature on this generation, not a carryover spec — paired with a thinner blade and a faster 5,200 RPM idle speed, it's a real step up from the saw it replaces.
• Worth knowing: This is a bare-tool listing — no battery or guide rail included, so factor those into your budget, especially if you want the FSK cross-cutting rail to unlock the repeatable crosscut function.

• What changed from the previous HKC 55 model? This saw adds sensor-based KickbackStop, which the previous generation (576164) did not have, along with a thinner 1/16-in. blade and a faster 5,200 RPM idle speed, up from 4,500 RPM.
• Does it need a guide rail to work? No, it cuts freehand, but pairing it with an FS or FSK guide rail gives you straighter rip cuts and repeatable angled crosscuts.
• Does it come with a battery? No. This is a bare-tool listing — batteries and chargers are sold separately.
• What's the bevel range? 0 to 50 degrees, unchanged from the previous generation.