Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Some of you engineering UHHers help me understand something. Why do they still make screws with slots? These are hard to put in with an electric drill and even with a proper screwdriver at times. The Phillips, or square holes are so much easier to use. The only reason I can think of is that they can't be torqued down as much and the use in soft wood might make sense -- but that would only apply to very small screws used for hinges in small boxes or cabinets. Why they still make larger slotted screws is a mystery to me.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Square holes great and slots are ok, as are stars. Phillips heads are the most prone to chewing out under pressure, so far as I am concerned. I wouldn’t be upset if I never saw another Phillips head screw.

That’s just my humble opinion after working with carpentry and farming and such for about seventy years.

Otterbug

I think you answered your own question.
Torque!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

alexol

Mostly it's down to cost.

Slots are cheap and remedial work (think cleaning rust off an old screw) is easy.

Slots were also easy to make, appropriate when manufacturing techniques were less sophisticated. And you don't need anything complicated to use them - a simple flat blade and you are done.

So-called Phillips come in several sizes, including JIS. The latter catches out a large number of people who work on Japanese cars and bikes (and other things) - they think it is a Phillips head.

I'd like to see all Torx, but that's expensive - not to mention impossible to remove if they rust. And you need a lot of specific sized tools.

Allen would be good too.

srt101fan

Good to hear someone else finding fault with Phillips head screws. I thought it might just be me and/or my cheap tools.... 😕

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Cheap tools, expensive tools, makes no difference.

Iron Sight Loc: Utah

The Straight Slot Screw head is the universal screw head. Most tool collections will have that style screwdriver included.

d3200prime

Engineering really has nothing to do with your question. It's all about supply and demand. If people would stop using the slotted screws they would go away.

As far as phillips head screws the issue with the head stripping out has to do with user error. Most folks don't stop torquing when the screw bottoms out or are not square with the head or are not putting enough force against the screw. Any or all of these errors will cause the head to strip. Using a good drill with a good clutch and setting the clutch properly and staying square with the head and applying enough pressure will solve this issue. But, the underlying cause is one few realize. Our hardware is made in China with much cheaper and softer steel than the USA manufacturers once used and naturally is much more prone to this issue. Also, many screws are made of aluminum.

bleirer

As I recall it had something to do with world war II and defense production. I'd have to Google to jog my memory.

pendennis

A lot depends on the proper screwdriver point to be used. A lot of folks will use a non-fitting screwdriver (too narrow or wide) for the slot. It also helps when driving screws in wood to drill a pilot hole, it helps eliminate problems with either slotted or Phillips head screws. Folks also tend to ignore the torque settings on drills and go for max torque every time. Phillips heads also come in a variety of point sizes, from PH-0, to PH-3. For slotting screws, I always use the spring-loaded covers which also help camming out.

There are also a number of different Phillips head drivers. Yes, you can cam out a point, but there are the Apex bits, which are flat at the tip, discouraging cam outs.

As my 7th grade wood shop teacher said, "Use the right tool for the job, always."

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

Today's screws from the big box stores seem to be made of softer metal than screws sold by hardware stores decades ago. And although Phillips-head screws are supposed to tolerate more torque, it seems that today's Phillips-head screws are much more prone to stripping compared to other screw head types.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Not all "Phillips" are actually Phillips. Similar but different are Fluted. You need sets of screwdrivers of different tapers and many sizes for these and more modern ones like Torex. Slotted are easy to get out often with nearly any slotted driver including other on the moment tools like pocket knives, pennies, nickels, butter knives. And one can remove paint and other materials from old slotted screws. I've even repaired a stripped slotted screw with a hack or metal cutting bladed jigsaw. There is now repairing other similar fasteners when stuck in and the head damaged. Allen are great but thus I have 50 some Allen Wrenches and that is never enough either.

Oh, especially for someone asking a question like this. Do note and on or in cameras, watches, clocks, machinery, and similar with moving parts that my may inertial torque on them, some are threaded and work in reverse of what is "normal." Meaning the screw goes in counter-clockwise and is removed clockwise. I hope you did not already destroy some old vintage or antique camera. Newer is not always better over time. Remember 8-Track tapes for music?

And I'm not an engineer - they can be great to know - I'm a biologist and photographer and my dad was a carpenter. Hope you got plenty of answers, though I think you kind of knew all along.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I'm think ease of manufacture. It's just a slot.

I think the best kind is what's popular in Canada - Roberts?

Dannj

“Phillips head...slot head....PH....max torque...cam out...square holes...etc”
Huh???
No wonder I keep screwing things up😳