Tooltime At WildSnow Hq — Every Good Sawzall Has Its Day

WildSnow runs a full workshop with enough tooling to remodel a house or rebuild a 4×4 from the frame up. What’s our one most important piece of equipment? Our workbench with a huge vise might be number one on the list, or perhaps the other bench with a ski vise? But a powerful and quick reciprocating saw comes soon after.

I’ve worn out four reciprocating “sawzall” type power saws over the years. They were pressed into duty from everything to cutting a moderately sized house in half for demolition, to tree removal, to quartering an elk, all the way to cutting the steering bell crank hanger off our 1947 Willys Jeep.

Tigersaw above, new Bosch RS35 animal below.

First “saws-all” I owned was a Milwaukee Sawzall. Those wood eaters are still the original and a benchmark. But way back in my day a plumber turned me on to the Porter-Cable Tigersaw. The Tiger lived up to its name, gnawing through just about anything at speeds noticeably faster then the Milwaukee. Over years of remodel construction I abused my Tigersaws like you wouldn’t believe. They held up, but entropy strikes and all machines die. RIP Tigersaw. Enter the Bosch RS35. AT 15 amps with a stroke speed of 2,900/min, using this thing is like firing a 50 caliber machine gun. It made short work of the stump that ate my old Tigersaw, and got desert on a couple of other stumps that were dining on our lawn mower blades. I can’t wait to saw another house in half — or perhaps even quarter it!

Shop for various reciprocating sawzall saw version using the link below.

10 Responses to “Tooltime At WildSnow Hq — Every Good Sawzall Has Its Day”

1. Mark Donohoe June 30th, 2009 11:04 am

   Lou,
   so you have taken out stumps with these? Hmmm, it would save me $$ on chain saw blades. Did you also hit the roots with it? I have 3 stumps that are waiting for your answer. 🙂

2. Lou June 30th, 2009 11:22 am

   He he, yeah, I just snap in a course bi-metal blade and start carving away at it. Dirt still dulls it, but at least you’re not lunching a chainsaw blade and spending all day re-sharpening the thing. I do clean away the dirt as best as possible, so the blades will last longer. Also helps to use an axe to knock off chunks as you cut away with the sawzall. BTW, I’m not talking about huge stumps… just medium to small.

3. Dan Powers June 30th, 2009 5:08 pm

   I’ve got a Tiger Saw of similar looking vintage, still going strong after 10? years of professional use.

4. Arthur von Boennighausen June 30th, 2009 6:46 pm

   Friend Louis Dawson:

   I was disappointed that you have stooped sooo low as to bring up the subject of using a Sawzall in your Wildsnow blog… What could you be thinking?

   I spent over 30 years using you as a role model as a ski mountaineer and alpinist and now have to walk with two canes and an artificial hip trying to do things like snow ski all the Colorado 14ers like Louis Dawson.

   I have paid the price that gives me the ticket to be critical…

   Thinking allowed…

   Arthur von Boennighausen @ The Sierra Mojada Ranch

5. andyw July 1st, 2009 3:41 am

   hehe, i wasn`t quite sure about the above comment but clicking on the link finds he`s for real, well what`d you know.

6. Lou July 1st, 2009 8:36 am

   The problem was I couldn’t get the stumps out with my snow saw…

7. Bill July 2nd, 2009 9:51 am

   Last time I checked there isn’t much snow on the hill around here. The man gots come up with stuff to keep us entertained. Keep posting and I’ll keep reading!

8. Anthony September 7th, 2010 8:57 am

   I have been using sawzals for about 20 years and I found the longest lasting saw, fastest, and less back breaking cut came from the older Porter Cable Tiger saw 9.6 amp. without the quick change fixture. Now that I have used up all of the saws of that model, I now get one day of use before saw is needing repair. Seems all saws have quick change and not one has been able to hold the blade longer than one day for what I do… I remove Oil tanks. Leakingtanks.com you can see the work we do at that site. If anyone knows of a machine shop willing to add an allen bolt blade fixture to any sawzal for me please email me any info,

   Thanks so much Anthony, 516-579-9246

9. P.T. Wood November 1st, 2016 5:20 pm

   Ever used a 12 demo blade for a snow saw? Small light weight fits in my shovel handle, but I am looking for mods that would make it easy to attach to my adjustable BD ski pole. Any thoughts?

10. Lou Dawson 2 November 1st, 2016 5:45 pm

    Anthony, yeah, that Tiger Saw was the best. The enormous Bosch is ok as covered above.