I was introduced to Pozidriv in the 1980s, and thought they were fantastic, but the one downside is that you need a different size driver for each size of screw. For those not familiar, Pozidriv looks a lot like Phillips but the sides of the facets in the hole are not angled, but vertical. That keeps the torque you’re putting on the driver from translating into a force to push the driver out of the hole due to the inclined plane effect. And with Pozidriv, you could use a Phillips driver in a pinch.
The nice thing about Phillips, besides self-centering, is that the angled walls mean that the size isn’t as important.
But now that we have Torx, Pozidriv is no longer necessary.
I think it’s really neat how some screws have a slot plus a short angular slot segment perpendicular to the main slot, so that they don’t really work with a regular screwdriver but also don’t really work with a Phillips screwdriver.
The biggest problem with Phillips head screws is that too many people try to use the wrong size driver. Usually one smaller than what is needed, ie, a #1 when the screw is a #2 or a #0 when the screw is a #1. This happens with a slot screw quite often, true, but most people recognize when a slot driver is too small and when they have problems understand what is wrong. With a Phillips, a #1 appears to fit well in a #2 head unless you look carefully, and easily strips because the point hits the bottom before it fully engages. My father taught me this 50 years ago and, while not the most important thing he taught me, it has come in handy over the years. I’ve definitely stripped fewer screws by making sure I have had the correct size driver.
I think I prefer poutine. But for fasteners, I’ll go with Torx over Robertson in almost every case. I’ve had to baby whole boxes of Robertson stainless screws and ceramic coat screw so the heads don’t get torn up. The only time I have that problem with Torx is when the head only accepts a #15 driver or smaller.
When the heads are that small I’ll look at a Robertson.
Robertsons are also famous for gripping a driver tightly enoughly that you can sink screws just by holding onto the drill — rather than guiding the screw with one hand. It’s a mixed blessing, because it can take a conscious effort to force the driver bit into the screw head, and then takes some wiggling to pull the driver bit out once the screw is sunk.
So for me, the Robs are a niche item. I’m sorry they didn’t get a fair chance to kick butt on slotted screws, back in the day. Love the Torx; I’ll build wooden cutting jigs or temporary support frames, and then take ‘em apart and reuse the screws. It’s not unusual that I’ll reuse a good Torx screw three or four times.
A pox on Phillip. I’m sure this is a problem only I have, but 8 out of 10 drywall screws I place get about 75% of the way in before they bind in the wood. This event is heralded by the immediate blowout of the screw head, leaving a protruding screw that can’t be screwed in, withdrawn, or hammered in. And it eventually jacks up my Phillips bit as well. I use nails now. I’d be more than happy to pay a ridiculous sum for a peculiar bit that could better grip the screws. They do that for deck screws–you get a box of torx head screws and there’s a fresh bit in each one. This totally blows my mind. Use the super common Phillips head for a screw that isn’t meant to be removed (drywall), and use the weirdo for holding down deck boards that you’ll have to replace as part of periodic maintenance.
Look, I use ubiquitous drywall screws for all sorts of tasks, but if you’re going to put them into wood you should be drilling pilot holes. Drywall screws aren’t meant for going into serious wood without a pilot hole. Yes, a Torx head would make the problem go away, but at that point you’re not using drywall screws anymore.
the only down side to Torx is the existence of T25 and T27 sizes. I don’t know whose bright idea that was, but I’d wager many Torx drivers and screws have been destroyed by trying to drive a 27 screw with a 25 driver.
Then I’m at a loss for what I’m meant to be fastening the drywall to. I was under the impression it was the wood studs. And I ain’t drilling pilot holes to hang drywall.
Interesting.
I have 3 different Robertson bits for my drill and the sizing is easy to determine.
I have about 10 different Phillips bits. It’s hard to tell which one works best without some frustrating experimentation.
Totally agree, you shouldn’t need pilot holes for putting up drywall into studs, unless you’ve got 80 year old rough cut maple in there. But most people I know use drywall screws for everything, including attaching wood to wood. I thought that’s what you were complaining about. My apologies for assuming in error.
I haven’t had too many problems with drywall screws stripping out when attaching drywall to studs, but it does happen so I sympathize with your complaint.
Torx is far better at higher-torque applications where Allen screws/bits are likely to round off. Torx was under patent until the 1990s which might be why it wasn’t as common.
Wikipedia: Robertson “much easier to remove/replace after weathering”. Interesting: mostly used for decking here. The other thing used for postive-drive is hex-head screws, but they are mostly structural: I think perhaps people don’t like external-grab screws for sunken applications.
Around here, Allen-head is used for furniture, bycycles and exercise equipment. Torx and variations are used for “security” applications: playground equipment, elevators, stuff like that. Which used to be Phillips: up to the 70’s, a Phillips head screw or bolt indicated “no user serviceable parts inside”. Which is sort of the same and sort of different to where I often see them now: on the battery compartment of children’s toys.
On a battery compartment, a Phillips head screw indicates “cannot be opened except with a tool”, which indicates “does not have to pay for and pass child-safety certification for stuff inside”. Which is kind of irritating when it comes time to replace the battery.
Some makers of light switches and outlets use a really fantastic screw that also incorporates a #2 Robertson in the center in addition to the slot and Phillips.
Amazing piece of bovine engineering! The screw doesn’t work with ANYTHING! Well, maybe with cow tools, but they’re not usually sold to humans.
One thing I’ve always wondered about is how Robertsons became the dominant head on RVs and mobile homes.
And I ain’t drilling pilot holes to hang drywall.
