Replaceable saw blade and guide

A blade assembly adapted for connection to a reciprocating saw having a housing and means for reciprocating a cutting blade, said assembly comprising:

• an elongated, planar support plate adapted for securement to said housing and presenting a main body portion, a lowermost, elongated, fore-and-aft extending bladeengaging margin, and structure defining an elongated slot extending from said margin and along the length of the support the thickness of said blade-engaging margin being essentially equal to or greater than the thickness of said main body portion;
• and
• an elongated, reciprocable cutting blade adapted for connection to said saw reciprocating means and presenting an elongated, lowermost cutting surface, a pair of upwardly extending, laterally spaced apart flanges each extending a fore-and-aft distance which is at least about 50% of the length of said lowermost cutting surface and each terminating at the lower end thereof at a point above said lowermost cutting surface, and a crosspiece extending laterally between and coupled to said flanges,
• said blade being operably coupled with said support blade with said crosspiece slidably received in said slot and with said flanges extending upwardly from said plate lower margin a substantial distance in closely adjacent relationship with the opposed faces of said main body portion, said crosspiece being disposed below the upper margins of said flanges.