Does anyone here own a phillips screwdriver?

I don't need the Government knowing what type of screwdrivers I have, or how long they are, or how many boxes of screws I have stashed away....

Larry
 
Instead of hanging out at ammo counters

I spend a lot of time in "Screwdriver World". I can't help but buy something whenever I go in. I couldn't figure out how to adjust my van headlights and expected a philips head screw like they used to have. I finally deduced that what was way down in that hole was a Torx head. I bought me one for $4.98 and voila, instant headlight adjustment. Why is everybody asleep??:confused:
 
Many plus one

Therein lies the strength of the Phillips driver, and also its weakness. because of its intended use in automated equipment, it is designed to back out of the screw head when the torque becomes too high. This is particularly problematic when working on japanese motorcycles, which often have fasteners seemingly made of compressed oatmeal. Phillips will tend to cam out and will often strip out the screw head.

One answer is to use JIS (japanese Industry Standard) bits. The sides of the crossed heads are parallel rather than angled, and they will not tend to back out. Pozidriv bits are constructed similarly. Both bits will loosen screws (even Phillips screws) that a Phillips screwdriver would probably strip.

JIS (also called JASO) screwdrivers are hard to find, and even harder to keep separate from your Phillips screwdrivers once you have found some. Pozidriv bits (for any screwdriver that takes Apex bits) are not everywhere, but can usually be had at a good Ace Hardware or an industrial supply house like Grainger. Of course, Phillips screwdrivers and bits are everywhere, and I have more of them that any other type of screwdriver.

I have many screwdrivers and bits including 00 Philips and up but exactly one that works on the screws that hold the rotor to the hub on Honda automobiles. While doing brakes work on a Honda years ago I could not find a bit that would work. My brother brought over his expensive torque driver with some sort of powder that is supposed to increase grip and promptly cracked the bit. My last chance before giving up was a bit in a set that I got form a Christmas gift exchange in a kit with many types of bits as well as grinding stones and drill bits etc and it worked almost effortlessly. The primary difference in that bit compared to others is that the individual blades on the tip are very thick and nearly square rather than tapered. So the primary ad antage (as near as I can tell) is that bit more completely fills the slot in the screw head so there it no chance of it slipping out and the mating surfaces between screw head and bit face are perpendicular to the axis of the screw so the force is applied at a 90 degree angle rather than 45 degrees or so of a Philips.
 
Well, here's another tidbit of almost useless information: there is another "cross" design screw that looks like a Phillips, but is different. It's called a Reed & Prince screw. The bottom of the cross slots is pointed rather than slightly rounded as the Phillips. I have only encountered this design in the aircraft industry.
 
Notice how some brands of Phillips screwdrivers and bits fit better than others. One inspection point in my workplace with a lot of rejects is buggered screws and we tracked it down to Phillips screwdriver bits. Some brands just don't fit very well.:(
 
Not one. Honestly I hate them. Changed everyone in sight to a flat head, and have spent years defending my home from them. If one gets within a 100 yards. Bam! Right in the kisser.
 
The bits that come with Snap-On screwdrivers will often have serrations milled into the bearing faces of the tip, which grip the screw and help keep the tip from camming out. A little valve-grinding paste on the tip can have the same effect.
 
The bits that come with Snap-On screwdrivers will often have serrations milled into the bearing faces of the tip, which grip the screw and help keep the tip from camming out. A little valve-grinding paste on the tip can have the same effect.

I read the entire thread to see if anyone mentioned the lapping compound. I've been using this tip for many years, even found one of my fastener supply companies sell a tube of grit paste just for this use. ;)
Thumbs-up!
 
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