Reciprocating screwdriver

A reciprocating screwdriver, also known as a Yankee screwdriver, is a screwdiver that operates by pushing the handle toward the screw driving tip. An internal mechanism causes the tip to turn as the handle is pushed, driving the screw. When the handle is released, it springs back, ready to be pushed in again. Thus, driving a screw becoms a matter of pushing the tool's handle and letting it spring back out, rather than twisting.

Reciprocating screwdrivers are useful for quickly driving screws when the screws turn easily, but they cannot generate as much torque as a standard screw driver. The tools also struggle when removing screws with stripped threads, since when the user pushes in the handle, the screw is pushed back into the work piece.