Hand-Held Electrical Powered Construction Saws

 

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A Note on Nomenclature

The terms Jig Saw, Saber Saw (Sabre Saw) and Sawzall have been confused by individuals of different degrees of time in the carpentry trade. It used to be that a Jig Saw was a saw with a blade fastened at both ends with a small table to lay the work onto and do intricate cuts and a sabre saw was a hand held device with a reciprocating blade and a base plate to do free cutting of patterns or straight cuts.

The terminology has changed now and what used to be called a Jig Saw is now called a Scroll Saw and what used to be called a Saber Saw is now called a Jig Saw. Nomenclature changes often result from ignorance, trademarks, and successful marketing. Younger people tend to call things by different names.

The term Skil Saw, or sometimes written as one word, Skilsaw, refers to a Circular Saw. Many older carpenters say Skil Saw without recognition that the term is a trademark by the company Mitchell Electric, now called Skilsaw Inc. It is neither wrong nor ignorant to say Skil Saw, or Circular Saw. A similar example holds with the Sawzall, a trademark name for a Reciprocating Saw.