Jigsaw or sabre saw

[dwasifar]

When speaking of one of these:



... what are you inclined to call it? Jigsaw or sabre (or saber) saw?

I'm old, and I grew up calling it a sabre saw. I don't anymore, because the manufacturers call them jigsaws now. It took a while to adjust.

I'm not entirely certain, but I suspect "jigsaw" used to be the term for what we now would call a scroll saw. I base this on two things: 1) vague memories of 7th grade shop class and 2) the term "jigsaw puzzle." You couldn't make one of those with the tool above, but you could do it with a scroll saw.

Thoughts?

 

[MOS3522]

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www.thesprucecrafts.com

 

[rlitman]

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www.thesprucecrafts.com

That article is MOSTLY correct. However, the "saws" that have a rotating top held blade are special, and are NOT jigsaws. That's a unique tool called a CutAwl, designed for pattern cutting.

 

[ecotec]

I have always called the item that you showed a jigsaw.

 

[lilredex]

In my book, it's a sabre saw. Jig saws are those cheap and dirty (scroll saws) that you would buy your kid to cut out jig saw puzzles. The more elegant saws are scroll saws to do more professional work. A jig saw like this:

 

[jar944]

Sears called it a Sabre saw


It's a jig saw

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

That article is MOSTLY correct. However, the "saws" that have a rotating top held blade are special, and are NOT jigsaws. That's a unique tool called a CutAwl, designed for pattern cutting.

I thought Cutawl was just the brand. My grandfather had one of these tools and he referred to it as a rotary jigsaw. It was a cool saw for sure!

 

[K13]

Saber saw here. My Dad always bought Rockwell tools and they called it a saber saw so that's what I grew up calling it.

 

[MOS3522]

That article is MOSTLY correct. However, the "saws" that have a rotating top held blade are special, and are NOT jigsaws. That's a unique tool called a CutAwl, designed for pattern cutting.

AI slop articles are not perfect?

 

[dwasifar]

Sears called it a Sabre saw

I think I had one like that, or similar, and that might be how I came to call it a sabre saw.

I call it a jigsaw now because that seems to be what manufacturers have standardized on, so I have to change with the times. Like calling jeans "dungarees"; fewer and fewer would understand. It's been long enough now that I had to stop and think for a moment to remember "sabre saw." Something in the back of my mind still rebels at the change, though.

 

[bassJAM]

This is what Dad always called a saber saw, so it's what I called them too. I thought he even had a Porter Cable called a saber saw back in the 90's but apparently they were named Tiger Saws.

 

[MoonRise]

Jigsaw. Uses jigsaw blades. Blades are available in two mounting forms, older style U shank blades and newer style T shank blades. Grips the blade from one end and reciprocates that blade up and down perpendicular to the grip handle. It is a handheld tool.

I have an old orange B&D jigsaw. Hated that thing, loud and sloppy, and thus thought all jigsaws were loud and sloppy.

At one point, years ago, decided to try a better jigsaw when I was walking through Home Depot and saw some Bosch jigsaws on display. One had a 'fancy' quick eject no tools blade change feature and one had a no tools blade change but wasn't quick eject and was less expensive. Both had a try it out and if you didn't like it return it no questions asked policy. Didn't think I needed the 'fancy' one, so I bought the less expensive one. Got home, put a blade in it, and HATED the blade change procedure. Yes it was toolless, but you had to unscrew the top grip knob about 47 times which was slow and really annoying. Put it back in the box and went right back to the store and returned it and bought the 'fancy' one.

That jigsaw was the Bosch 1580. Changed my whole attitude about jigsaws. Great tool. Still have it. Use it with good ground-tooth Bosch blades.

A scroll saw uses scroll saw blades. Available in plain end and pin end configurations. Blades are gripped on both ends and move up and down. It is a bench tool.

There are some bench saws that use a jigsaw blade mounted underneath the work table.

And then there are reciprocating saws. The blade moves in line with the handle. Used to shake your whole body when you don't grab it properly.

 

[dr_clyde]

I've only ever called it a jigsaw.

My dad always had Bosch jigsaws, and they called it a jigsaw since the beginning I believe. So, that's what we called them.

 

[PowrKraftsman]

I think I had one like that, or similar, and that might be how I came to call it a sabre saw.

I call it a jigsaw now because that seems to be what manufacturers have standardized on, so I have to change with the times. Like calling jeans "dungarees"; fewer and fewer would understand. It's been long enough now that I had to stop and think for a moment to remember "sabre saw." Something in the back of my mind still rebels at the change, though.

I grew up calling them saber saws but, like you, now generally refer to them as jigsaws because that seems to be the currently prevalent term.

 

[MOS3522]

This thread is like a jigsaw puzzle.

 

[dwasifar]

I have an old orange B&D jigsaw. Hated that thing, loud and sloppy, and thus thought all jigsaws were loud and sloppy.

You hated it, but you still have it?

I think I had that same saw, but in booger green instead of orange. Not sure which would be older.

Edit: looked it up. Orange was what we might now call prosumer; booger green was the homeowner line.

 

[neophyte]

When speaking of one of these:



... what are you inclined to call it? Jigsaw or sabre (or saber) saw?

I'm old, and I grew up calling it a sabre saw. I don't anymore, because the manufacturers call them jigsaws now. It took a while to adjust.

I'm not entirely certain, but I suspect "jigsaw" used to be the term for what we now would call a scroll saw. I base this on two things: 1) vague memories of 7th grade shop class and 2) the term "jigsaw puzzle." You couldn't make one of those with the tool above, but you could do it with a scroll saw.

Thoughts?

The CURRENT, proper nomenclature IN THE USA is likely “Jigsaw”.
Older US tool manufacturers varied from using “jigsaw” to “sabre/saber saw” , to “reciprocating saw”, to “bayonet saw” and probably “scroll saw” and “electric hacksaw” as well.
Different manufacturers used to routinely use different nomenclature for what was essentially a similarly laid and functioning saw, with Porter Cable being one of the last hold outs in the USA not using the term “Jigsaw”. (I think PC used “bayonet saw”).
WEN used to use “All Saw” and “Electric Power Saw”.

 

[neophyte]

That article is MOSTLY correct. However, the "saws" that have a rotating top held blade are special, and are NOT jigsaws. That's a unique tool called a CutAwl, designed for pattern cutting.

Sometimes the Jigsaws with a blade that can rotate 360 degrees are referred to as “Scrolling Jigsaws”, although I’m not sure if there are currently any manufacturers.
The Cutawl is a particular saw brand, that has been around close to a century, and which makes a saw that is fairly expensive new, and usually not seen outside of specialized industries.
The “Scrolling Jigsaws” used to be sold by Sears under the Craftsman brand, and maybe also by Skil.

 

[Wamsutta]

They're supposed to be used for making jigs so that you can then run a router along the outside of the jig to make corbels.

You see I know a little about woodworking too.

 

[neophyte]

Jigsaw. Uses jigsaw blades. Blades are available in two mounting forms, older style U shank blades and newer style T shank blades. Grips the blade from one end and reciprocates that blade up and down perpendicular to the grip handle. It is a handheld tool.

I have an old orange B&D jigsaw. Hated that thing, loud and sloppy, and thus thought all jigsaws were loud and sloppy.

At one point, years ago, decided to try a better jigsaw when I was walking through Home Depot and saw some Bosch jigsaws on display. One had a 'fancy' quick eject no tools blade change feature and one had a no tools blade change but wasn't quick eject and was less expensive. Both had a try it out and if you didn't like it return it no questions asked policy. Didn't think I needed the 'fancy' one, so I bought the less expensive one. Got home, put a blade in it, and HATED the blade change procedure. Yes it was toolless, but you had to unscrew the top grip knob about 47 times which was slow and really annoying. Put it back in the box and went right back to the store and returned it and bought the 'fancy' one.

That jigsaw was the Bosch 1580. Changed my whole attitude about jigsaws. Great tool. Still have it. Use it with good ground-tooth Bosch blades.

A scroll saw uses scroll saw blades. Available in plain end and pin end configurations. Blades are gripped on both ends and move up and down. It is a bench tool.

There are some bench saws that use a jigsaw blade mounted underneath the work table.

And then there are reciprocating saws. The blade moves in line with the handle. Used to shake your whole body when you don't grab it properly.

Porter Cable/Rockwell/Porter Cable, also had their “L” shaped “bayonet style blades.
I think Makita nay have had a proprietary style of blade at one point decades ago.
Fein also had a proprietary blade design ip until recently, although U shank blades also worked.

 

[neophyte]

Saber saw here. My Dad always bought Rockwell tools and they called it a saber saw so that's what I grew up calling it.

The technical term Rockwell used to use seems to have originally been “Electric Hand Saw” snd later “Bayonet Saw”.

 

[MoonRise]

You hated it, but you still have it?

I think I had that same saw, but in booger green instead of orange. Not sure which would be older.

Edit: looked it up. Orange was what we might now call prosumer; booger green was the homeowner line.

It runs, so even though I hated it I couldn't quite just throw it out. Keep it for some really rough job that might come up someday that I don't want to use the nice Bosch for.

At least that's my story.

The Bosch is a REALLY nice jigsaw. Smooth running, variable speed, controllable, decent power, good blade clamp and support bearing behind the blade and on the sides of the blade. And that no tools quick eject blade system. I have been known to just eject a blade a few times, just because it is fun to do.

 

[Dave455]

The tool was invented by Scintilla in Switzerland, during the second world war.

I seem to remember that they simply called it an Electric Hand Saw (in Swiss German) in their original literature, but within a few years they were referring to them as “jigsaws” in English.

Scintilla also made scroll saws, and I believe that their original distinction was that the scroll saw blade was supported at both ends, and the jigsaw blade at only one end. However, the scroll saws were bench mounted machines where the machine remains stationary and the workpiece is moved, so a very different machine.

Although Scintilla invented the tool, they were quite expensive and relatively rare. Black and Decker (and their British subsidiary in particular) actually did much to popularise these tools, and by the 1960’s their more affordable, but still good quality, tools were becoming common.

Black and Decker always called them jigsaws too, and that’s the only term I have ever heard used this side of the pond.

Black and Deckers influence was quite considerable, and even now, jigsaws remain far more popular in the U.K. than the U.S. Personally, having grown up with them, I use them as my “go to”, only using a circular saw if I absolutely have to.

Bosch bought out Scintilla, and they still make most of their jigsaw blades in the Scintilla factory.

 

[jar944]

The Jig saw tool name was already in use then, likely adding confusion.

 

[Nutria]

Just for fun (and to add to the confusion), my old Delta 24" scroll saw can also use saber blades (jigsaw blades). Useful every now and then.