Black drywall screws and metal slivers

[alvinamorey]

I have always hated drywall screws, especially the black ones. It never fails, as soon as I use a few of them my fingers are full of tint metal slivers that are harder than heck to remove because they are nearly invisible, yet they hurt like hell. Apparently they are from the manufacturing where they are threaded and they are not cleaned very well. There is no way to put them in without holding them and spinning them between ones fingers until they are started in the wood or whatever material. That just makes for slivers and there is no way to avoid them. Once I use up the ones I have left, I will never buy another black one. They will all be galvanized from now on. The galvanized ones are more costly but the galvanizing must get rid of the metal slivers.

Anyone have any comments, tips, further cus words about them, or any useful suggestions?

Alvin

[pheeh.zero]

That is the price we pay for imported crap! Another one is the quality of tie-wraps...tighten them and they break! Panduit ties (originals) would never break. Now I think they import them...even though it says Made in USA on the bag!

[dadiOH]

I have never gotten a sliver. I use a screwdriver to turn them, not my fingers.

[Doug Miller]

Yeah -- use a screwdriver instead of your fingers, and you won't get slivers.

[dpb]

Magnetic bits or full-blown screw holder...

--

[terry]

Never had that problem. The screws we get here (no idea where they come from) are black and have Philips heads. Generally put them in location on the tip of the driver (either a hand driver, dry wall gun or a regular electric drill) give it a little push or a slight hand tap and start turning. Occasionally in a difficult to reach or awkward location may make a little hole in dry-wall with a nail, park the screw in that and then reach up and screw it in. Bigger problem especially of not using a proper dry wall 'gun' (cos don't do enough to warrant one) is putting them in too deep! Doing a few today; but may also use a few dry-wall nails. Sometimes seems easier to 'hang' a smaller piece of dry-wall on a couple of nails and then go it with the screws.

[George]

You can buy good tie wraps it just won't be at the big box store.

[Cliff Hartle]

Besides drilling a pilot hole, you need one of these.

[gfretwell]

I suspect it is the black coating that does this. I have had the problem too. Sometimes just handling these things will get you stuck. If you get the brands that have a shiny coating they are less likely to have the burrs. The galvanized deck screws are stronger than drywall screws and really more suited for putting wood projects together. I think people just gravitate to drywall screws because the drywall screws are cheap. You do get what you pay for.

[RickH]

I use a highly magnetized "dimpleing" bit so I dont have to spin them in hand. The hard trim screws are same way.

[Omnaka]

Haha, i use a zip gun amd put more in a minute, than uou could in a day , with your screwdriver lol.

[Corey]

I've got this problem now. Everyone with their comments about how to buy better screws but no one addressing the hack to remove the metal splinters. I was able to pull a couple out, but most are deep. I tried a small magnet, no luck. Tried peroxide hoping the bubbling action would work them out. Tried gorilla tape hoping it might pull them out. Tried soaking my fingers in the shower. Nothing. Hopefully they work themselves out naturally? How'd you make out? Hurts like hell, especially from fabric, like opening a bedsheet or putting on a Tshirt when I slide my fingers "against the grain," or in the opposite direct the sheetrock screw metal entered my fingers.

[Wade Garrett]

Maybe go to the doctor?

[brian]

The splinters come from you were using a power tool instead of a screw driver. It would take litterally forever to hang a roomful of drywall using a hand tool.

[Scott Lurndal]

Hammer and drywall nails were sufficient to hang drywall for decades.

No power driver necessary.

The advantage of drywall screws is the ability to remove them without destroying the drywall.

[Marilyn Manson]

What about speed?

Do you remove drywall screws often enough that non-destructive removal is actually a factor in choosing screws over nails? (That’s a serious question. I’m curious.)

[Scott Lurndal]

I recently needed to do some electrical work in the garage around the main panel, and the electrician who worked on it before nailed the replacement drywall (but not taped). I had to rip it out rather than simply unscrew it. So yes, it happens. Often enough?

[Ed Pawlowski]

That is just one factor. Nails sometimes pop over time. Screws hold much better.