# Screws: Why Phillips & Flatheads? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912 "2009-12-20T02:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/21 "2009-12-21T01:51:29Z")
Pulling up a lawn chair, and waiting for the inevitable post from a Canadian Doper about the superiority of Robertson screws. Edit: BEATEN! ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/22 "2009-12-21T01:58:57Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Pulling up a lawn chair, and waiting for the inevitable post from a Canadian Doper about the superiority of Robertson screws. Well, c’mon, the only things we invented are Robertson screws and insulin. Robertson screws, FTW! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/23 "2009-12-21T02:23:57Z")
I’m surprised no one mentioned the universal screws that IKEA kits seem to love. They are supposed to work with either a sloted or Philips. I throw them out and use my own screws. Unfortunately, electrical receptacles use those universal screws too. Hate them. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/24 "2009-12-21T02:44:17Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > Well, c’mon, the only things we invented are Robertson screws and insulin. Robertson screws, FTW! No, we invented the paint roller too. [Cite](http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/cool/002027-2006-e.html). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/25 "2009-12-21T07:03:20Z")
One thing worth noting about alternative screw head designs is that many of them require a driver of a precise size to fit the inset in the screw head. The simple slotted design and the Phillips have the advantage that the blade of the slot screwdriver or the point of the Phillips screwdriver can fit screws of several sizes well enough to turn them. This means that the average person can get away with having a couple screwdrivers rather than a whole set of Torx or Robertson drivers in various sizes. Or, in a pinch, you’ll be able to manage with the screwdriver on your Swiss Army knife or pocket multitool. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/26 "2009-12-21T11:22:26Z")
> [@ntucker](#): > > There are a lot of other types as well, such as the ones **Philster** mentions, and one of my favorites, [Pozidriv](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozidriv). Note that that Pozidrive page links to a page that explains what it means to “cam out”, and points out that Phillips screws were specifically designed to cam out, which is something I dislike about them. Phillips heads are fine for machine screws where you don’t need much torque until the screw is fully tightened. But when I use them for wood screws I am always tearing them up if the pilot hole isn’t quite as big as it should be. I looked at the page you linked and from this page, I can’t for the life of me can’t see the difference between Phillips and Pozidriv. The screwdriver tips look identical and I can’t see any difference in the shape of the recess in the screw head. What’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/27 "2009-12-21T11:40:36Z")
You heathens and your antiquated phillips or pozi-drive screws. Meet the [Phillips Square-Driv](http://www.instructables.com/id/SQUM9UXFOVXPH7L/) combo screw. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/28 "2009-12-21T11:43:02Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I looked at the page you linked and from this page, I can’t for the life of me can’t see the difference between Phillips and Pozidriv. The screwdriver tips look identical and I can’t see any difference in the shape of the recess in the screw head. What’s the difference? the difference is that the website is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/29 "2009-12-21T12:34:35Z")
See “One Good Turn” (Witold Rybczynski, ISBN 0-684-86730-3) for more than you ever want to know about the history of the screw. BTW - the link to Cecil’s column doesn’t seem to work for me, but let me add that IIRC the Phillips head was adopted for assembly lines specifically because it made it harder for the driver to slip off the screw. Flat heads drive me crazy (no pun intended) when that happens. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912/30 "2009-12-21T15:11:15Z")
[QUOTE=Terry Kennedy;] The worst design seems to be the “universal” one we get stuck with on electrical devices here in the US. It is a combo slotted-Phillips-Robertson one, which strips out equally well with all drivers. Picture [here](http://www.tmk.com/transient/6F5S7525-s.jpg). [/QUOTE] Worth noting that the Phillips part of that infernal screw is actually a JIS, as denoted by that little dimple on the side. It’s basically a shallow Phillips, and a regular Phillips driver will chew it up. If you have a JIS driver, or grind off the tip of a regular driver, they’re not bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screws-why-phillips-flatheads/521912.md?page=1)