A surgical sagittal saw for use with a blade assembly comprising a bar, a blade head pivotally mounted to the bar that has a head with teeth located outside of the blade bar, and at least one drive rod extending proximally from the blade head, said saw comprising: a body, the body having a head for receiving the blade assembly and the body head being formed with a surface for receiving the bar of the blade assembly; a motor; a drive assembly (48, 50, 72) disposed in the body that is connected to the motor and adapted to actuate the blade assembly; and a fastening assembly (91, 93) configured to removably secure the blade assembly to the body head; characterized in that: the drive assembly (48, 50, 72) includes a connecting member that extends to and is adapted for attachment to the at least one drive rod of the blade assembly and that is further adapted to oscillate upon actuation of the motor, and the drive assembly is configured so that, when the motor is actuated, the at least one connecting member oscillates to reciprocate the at least one drive rod so that the reciprocation of the at least one drive rod results in the back and forth oscillation of the blade head of the blade assembly that is connected to the at least one drive rod and that extends out of the bar; wherein the fastening assembly (91, 93) is adapted to hold the blade assembly bar static to the body head while the at least one drive rod is reciprocated. a body, the body having a head for receiving the blade assembly and the body head being formed with a surface for receiving the bar of the blade assembly; a motor; a drive assembly (48, 50, 72) disposed in the body that is connected to the motor and adapted to actuate the blade assembly; and a fastening assembly (91, 93) configured to removably secure the blade assembly to the body head; characterized in that: the drive assembly (48, 50, 72) includes a connecting member that extends to and is adapted for attachment to the at least one drive rod of the blade assembly and that is further adapted to oscillate upon actuation of the motor, and the drive assembly is configured so that, when the motor is actuated, the at least one connecting member oscillates to reciprocate the at least one drive rod so that the reciprocation of the at least one drive rod results in the back and forth oscillation of the blade head of the blade assembly that is connected to the at least one drive rod and that extends out of the bar; wherein the fastening assembly (91, 93) is adapted to hold the blade assembly bar static to the body head while the at least one drive rod is reciprocated. the drive assembly (48, 50, 72) includes a connecting member that extends to and is adapted for attachment to the at least one drive rod of the blade assembly and that is further adapted to oscillate upon actuation of the motor, and the drive assembly is configured so that, when the motor is actuated, the at least one connecting member oscillates to reciprocate the at least one drive rod so that the reciprocation of the at least one drive rod results in the back and forth oscillation of the blade head of the blade assembly that is connected to the at least one drive rod and that extends out of the bar; wherein the fastening assembly (91, 93) is adapted to hold the blade assembly bar static to the body head while the at least one drive rod is reciprocated.