DIYbanter - View Single Post - Stainless steel deck screws: Phillips or Square-Drive?

Jesse R Strawbridge

wrote:
For the size I want (#10x3") it's the same price for Phillips
or square-drive. I like square-drive for most applications,

Not trying to be a correction jerk. If your going to call the 'star'
driver a Phillips, then start calling the 'square' driver a
Robertson.

Phillips came up with the tapered X pattern and Robertson (A Canadaian
who got screwed over by the British and refused to take his invention
outside of Canada again) came up with the square pattern and both
these guys have their inventions named after themselves.

And yes for most apllications I prefer a no slip Robertson, except
where the fastener is going to show on a piece of furniture. There I
will use either Phillips or slotted. 'Slotted' also has a name if
someone can remember it.

If anyone cares, the Robertson comes in different sizes and they are
color coded with the most common ones being 2 & 3 :

- 0 yellow
- 1 green
- 2 red
- 3 black

I've seen what appeared to be a 4 in a ratchet bit but I don't know
the color code and I believe there is a 00 size for wee tiny screws.

Pete
A star drive isn't a Phillips, at least not around here. The Torx head
is what people mean when they talk about star drive screws. I know
Robertson invented the square drive, but the name didn't stick like the
Phillips name did and it is descriptive. A 'plus' head screw for
Phillips would be more descriptive but is not likely to happen.

Jess.S