# GDP loss due to the use of inferior screw heads? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493 "2012-10-22T05:03:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/21 "2012-10-22T18:46:41Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > Am I the only one who glanced at the thread title and wondered, “What connection is there between the Republican Party and inferior screw heads?” Nope! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/22 "2012-10-22T18:55:14Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > My personal favored fastener is the socket head cap screw. Lovely to look at you can torque it in off-axis with a hex key or a hex key in a socket wrench. The drawback is that you need they are differently sized, of course. Slotted and phillips, and every screw I’ve ever heard of comes in different sizes for the fastening device (which I assume is what you are talking about). The cap screws have a tendency to have more size variation, but one of the main causes of screw head stripping is the use of the wrong sized screwdriver. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/23 "2012-10-22T19:04:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Slotted and phillips, and every screw I’ve ever heard of comes in different sizes for the fastening device (which I assume is what you are talking about). The cap screws have a tendency to have more size variation, but one of the main causes of screw head stripping is the use of the wrong sized screwdriver. Yeah. I was going to mention that. Nothing torques me off (heh) like seeing someone taking a #1 Phillips screwdriver to a regular #2 screw head and wondering why it keeps on stripping out. Arrgh! This happens at work with annoying regularity. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/24 "2012-10-22T19:09:23Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Slotted screws are still quite popular among woodworkers. I have never understood why woodworkers have all collectively decided that slotted screws look “good,” but Philips, hex, torx, Robertson/square, etc.. all look “ugly.” ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/25 "2012-10-22T19:12:30Z")
What do you call those screws with the half-smeared heads that I see in bathroom stalls that are clearly only meant to be screwed IN and can’t be UNscrewed? (Meaning that one could screw in a bathroom, but not unscrew, I guess). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/26 "2012-10-22T19:17:10Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Nope! 😃 Me neither. But this is the most boring thread (heh) about screwing I’ve ever seen. Someone had to say it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/27 "2012-10-22T19:17:20Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I have never understood why woodworkers have all collectively decided that slotted screws look “good,” but Philips, hex, torx, Robertson/square, etc.. all look “ugly.” I think it’s the classic look. > [@CC](#): > > What do you call those screws with the half-smeared heads that I see in bathroom stalls that are clearly only meant to be screwed IN and can’t be UNscrewed? (Meaning that one could screw in a bathroom, but not unscrew, I guess). Those are security screws that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/28 "2012-10-22T19:20:32Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I have never understood why woodworkers have all collectively decided that slotted screws look “good,” but Philips, hex, torx, Robertson/square, etc.. all look “ugly.” I don’t think it’s a matter of looking good. Slotted screws give you a lot of leverage without the danger of stripping. Phillips were designed for applications where you need self-centering but not a lot of torque, such as screwing into pre-threaded holes. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/29 "2012-10-22T19:33:15Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Yeah. I was going to mention that. Nothing torques me off (heh) like seeing someone taking a #1 Phillips screwdriver to a regular #2 screw head and wondering why it keeps on stripping out. Arrgh! This happens at work with annoying regularity. And right after I posted this I realized, although I had Phillips screws in the back of my head, that EVERY type of fastener has an appropriate tool size to go with it, right on down to hammers and nails! Sheesh! I tell ya, that’s the sort of forgetfulness that will shave some money off the GDP in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/30 "2012-10-22T19:52:29Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I have never understood why woodworkers have all collectively decided that slotted screws look “good,” but Philips, hex, torx, Robertson/square, etc.. all look “ugly.” slotted screws allow you to apply more torque which is needed to put a screw into wood by hand. you are cutting threads putting a screw into wood. some screws like drywall and deck screws (both which have unique threading) use a Philips head and a power tool though they are intended to be driven hard and countersunk. slotted screws can also be cleaned of paint and putty easily and then removed or tightened as needed. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/31 "2012-10-22T19:55:10Z")
When I’m lookin’ for a good screw, I always look for a slot. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/32 "2012-10-22T20:07:22Z")
> [@CC](#): > > What do you call those screws with the half-smeared heads that I see in bathroom stalls that are clearly only meant to be screwed IN and can’t be UNscrewed? (Meaning that one could screw in a bathroom, but not unscrew, I guess). They are called security screws or one-way screws. A lot of other types of screws are also called security screws though, so one-way screw tends to be a bit less ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/33 "2012-10-23T03:00:00Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > Am I the only one who glanced at the thread title and wondered, “What connection is there between the Republican Party and inferior screw heads?” Or that they were recruiting Deadites. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/34 "2012-10-23T03:03:44Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Me neither. But this is the most boring thread (heh) about screwing I’ve ever seen. > > Someone had to say it. HEH! HEH! You said screw! HEH! HEH! ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/35 "2012-10-23T03:35:34Z")
I misread the thread title as “GOP loss due to inferior screw heads” (huh? did Romney’s wooden podium fall apart?) Anyway, I agree (sort of). Robertson screws are #1, but Phillips screws can strip much worse than slotted heads. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/36 "2012-10-23T04:40:35Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I don’t think it’s a matter of looking good. Slotted screws give you a lot of leverage without the danger of stripping. Phillips were designed for applications where you need self-centering but not a lot of torque, such as screwing into pre-threaded holes. A slotted screw gives two points of contact. And they will strip very nicely, thank you, if you get enough torque on them. A Robertson and a Posidrive each give four points of contact, and neither have the cam out problem that Phillips’ do. Slotted screws are primitive and unless required for aesthetics, should never been seen or used IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/37 "2012-10-23T04:41:36Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > And right after I posted this I realized, although I had Phillips screws in the back of my head… Do you have a bolt through your neck also? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493/38 "2012-10-23T05:57:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by\*\* MonkeyMensch \*\* > And right after I posted this I realized, although I had Phillips screws in the back of my head… > > > [@Princhester](#): > > > > Do you have a bolt through your neck also? Boy, when I set about screwing up a set of posts I do hit the throttle hard, don’t I? I think I meant back of my mind, maybe… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gdp-loss-due-to-the-use-of-inferior-screw-heads/638493.md?page=1)