Why Is A Reciprocating Saw Called a “Sawzall”?

Think you have a mouse trapped in your wall? Got an overgrown branch that needs trimming? Maybe a piece of plywood that could use some access holes? For these purposes and others, lots of home improvement enthusiasts grab a Sawzall, otherwise known as a reciprocating saw. These fine-toothed power saws can tear into materials quickly. They’re especially handy when space is tight and you need more control and elbow room than raw power.

But why do we say “Sawzall”? For one thing, it has fewer syllables than reciprocating saw. But more importantly, it’s for the same reason we ask for Kleenex tissues or Xerox copies: strong brand identification.

1. The Origin of Sawzall
2. Sawzall vs. Jigsaw
3. The Sawzall Today

The Origin of Sawzall

According to the construction trade publication The Journal of Light Construction, the Sawzall was the handiwork of Jerome Schnettler and Edward Ristow, two engineers employed by Milwaukee Tools in 1951. Ristow, a chief engineer, was looking to perfect a portable powered saw that would have application in lumber, plumbing, and other construction jobs. Powered saws were in circulation, but there were few saws that met Ristow’s exact criteria. You wouldn’t, for example, grab a chainsaw to bite into plumbing pipes, especially if you were working in a crawl space.

Schnettler, a veteran of World War II who worked for Ristow, collaborated by producing illustrated designs that informed the reciprocating (back and forth) prototype. (Though the Journal doesn't mention it, it’s worth noting that Schnettler’s name doesn’t appear on the patent: Instead, the application names Ristow and fellow Milwaukee employee Versel Behlke.)

When it came time to produce and market the tool, Milwaukee gave it a trademarked name: Sawzall, a portmanteau of saws [it] all.

One 1952 ad for the Sawzall described it as “a compact, heavy duty all purpose hacksaw with saw blades to suit many types of jobs.” The Sawzall could cut “wood, metal, Transite, Masonite, Formica” and was perfect for “those hard-to-get-at places.”

But that kind of versatility didn’t come cheap. It retailed for a steep $78.50, which is roughly $952 in today’s dollars.

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Sawzall vs. Jigsaw

Both a Sawzall and a jigsaw feature long, serrated blades, which can lead to a little confusion. But a closer look at the two reveals some obvious differences.

A Sawzall is typically held horizontally and can cut things in front of you, quickly and brutally. A jigsaw, on the other hand, is normally cutting vertically and with more precision. Cutting a hole in a wall for an outlet might be a job for a Sawzall. If you wanted to place drywall on a horizontal surface first, then a jigsaw might be better bet.

Jigsaws are also more detail-oriented: With thinner, lighter blades, cutting circular or curved openings into materials is much easier.

While this isn’t a hard and fast rule, you can discern the difference by thinking of your application. If you’re trying to do demolition work in front of you, a Sawzall is probably best. If you’re cutting a precision opening toward the floor, a jigsaw is likely what you need.

The Sawzall Today

The Sawzall was refined in the 1960s, with updated models featuring dual speeds and a dial control. Thanks to Milwaukee’s brand identification, people began to refer to any reciprocating general-purpose saw as a Sawzall, a fate of generic terminology that befell products like Jet Ski, Q-Tips, Velcro, and others—all trademarked names that eventually became synonymous with any products of their type. While you may refer to any reciprocating saw as a Sawzall, the term technically only applies to a Milwaukee-branded reciprocating saw.

As for the inventors: In at least one case, their hard work paid off. In 1983, Schnettler had risen in the ranks to become Milwaukee’s president.