When Kevin first got to work on the ALLSAW® in the 90s, he wasn’t actually looking at a pile of bricks. He was a woodworker at heart, and he was looking for a way to cut stumps out of the ground to use for furniture carving. He needed a way to cut roots through dirt and gravel without the constant worry of kickback or the headache of lubricating a chain every few minutes. That was when the concept of the dual hammering blade was born. That reciprocating movement, paired with its unique blade shape, eventually became what we now know as the ALLSAW®. For a while, we were strictly focused on the timber. But the real breakthrough happened when someone in R&D looked at the reciprocating action of the blades and suggested, "Let’s see what this does to a brick wall." It was a bit of a long shot, but we gave it a run on some masonry and the results were opened a whole new chapter. Once the tool got into the hands of tradespeople, it took on a life of its own. It didn't take long for the masonry world to realise that this unique twin-blade action was the "silver bullet" for cutting square holes in brick and mortar with almost no dust. For a long time, the ALLSAW® became the go-to tool for builders and restoration professionals around the globe.
Co-founder and inventor Kevin (center) alongside the toolmakers and developers in the early 1990s.
Co-founder Kevin Inkster pictured in a 1993 newspaper feature following his second BHP Australian Steel Award win for the revolutionary Arbortech Allsaw.
An early petrol-powered prototype of the Allsaw, showcasing the foundational mechanical engineering of the counter-oscillating blades.
The fully evolved, commercially successful Arbortech AS170 Allsaw on-site, featuring integrated dust extraction and specialized masonry blades.
Arbortech later developed a larger petrol-driven version specifically for cutting tree roots in the ground, in collaboration with a major chainsaw manufacturer. The concept drew significant attention and went on to win Western Australia Innovation of the Year 2008. However, there was a persistent limitation. Internal combustion engines and traditional drive systems struggled to cope with the dust, dirt, and harsh conditions the tool was designed for. The idea was sound—but the technology hadn’t quite caught up. It wasn’t until the emergence of high-performance brushless DC motors and powerful battery systems that the concept could finally be realised properly. These new drive systems provided the torque, durability, and reliability needed to handle abrasive environments without the maintenance and vulnerability of petrol engines. The partnership with DEWALT®was a massive milestone for Arbortech, and honestly, it’s been the real turning point for this tool. By bringing our patented cutting tech over to DEWALT® FLEXVOLT battery platform, we’ve finally been able to refine the ALLSAW® into the wood cutting and landscaping beast Kevin always knew it could be. It’s been a long road from a workshop prototype to a global masonry icon, and now back to its woodworking roots. We’re just really glad we’ve finally got the right partnership in place to show the world what this tool was actually meant to do from day one. If you want to see exactly what Kevin had in mind from the beginning, have a look at the video below. We’ve put the new gear through its paces so you can see how it handles everything from thick timber to those stubborn tree roots in the dirt.