What are these screw heads?

[Tim Streater]

I had occasion today to adjust a gate-latch, but expected to be impeded by the unusual screw-heads that had been used to install the latch. Turned out I had a set of bits and was able to proceed.

Anyway - these are screws, not with a cross- or phillips-style head, but a hexagonal head which one might imagine could be turned with some type of Allen Key. But the sides of the hexagon, instead of being straight, are slightly curved inwards, so no Allen key is going to fit. But what ytpe of head is this?

[Andy Bennett]

Probably Torx

[The Nomad]

Torx

HTH

Avpx

[Andy Burns]

e-torx?

[Tim Streater]

Thanks - yes I see now it says T-20 on the bit I was using.

[Cursitor Doom]

Have you not encountered those before? They're frightfully common. Slightliy less common are the security version which has a hollow head with a centre pin. Not as effective as they used to be since the Chinese began making keys for them in millions.

[Tim Streater]

Not as wood screws in a gate. I was quite surprised to discover that I owned driver bits for them, though. Buggered if I know when, or why, I have these. Still, useful today though. The screws are, however, rusty so I'll prolly replace them.

[GB]

I had to replace the thermal cut out on my tumble dryer. I had to take the thing to pieces, and ALL the screws were T20, which I thought was very sensible and convenient.

[SteveW]

Certainly an unusual choice from years ago, but torx woodscrews are quite common now - Screwfix sell them.

Probably a better option now than Pozi or Phillips - no cam-out on difficult to remove screws.

[Tim Streater]

Yes, having read up on them and finding I have the corresponding driver bits I'll prolly replace using them.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Really quite surprised you've not come across them before, as they're pretty old. Have some on an '85 car. I like them. I reckon they 'stick' on the driver better than any other head - for replacing one in a recess, etc.

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

speshly on Vauxhalls...centre pins are the security version

[rick]

Sounds like TORX ... been used on cras for decades, now becoming popular on wood screws .... I did a big decking project all fitted with Torx head screws. Hold & drive much better than pozi or phillips

These SPAX decking screws are the Muts Nuts .... reverse thread at top pulls decking boards down tight.

[wrights...]

Bill

[Tim Lamb]

Might be some confusion with *distance screws* where gripper rings under the screw head can be used to adjust the position of a board or batten. Particularly useful where battens/boards are being fixed over foam insulation.

[Andy Burns]

The deck screws are threaded from the tip to e.g. halfway along the shank, then there's a plain section, then the thread restarts again and continues to the head.

But the top section of thread is in the same direction, not reversed.