Best screw head that won't strip

[Michael]

I can't decide which is better, the square or the star? Which is less likely to strip?

Thanks.

[pat]

Socket head caps will stand the test of time.

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[John Grossbohlin]

Torx/star provides more contact area between the bit and screw, has no cam-out tendency, and is less likely to strip out... The risk of snapping them off in hard woods (physically hard, not hardwoods vs. softwoods) without predrilling goes up too! Ask me how I know that... ;~)

John

[Leon]

My experience is that the star has a more positive engagement and the bit does not need to be as perfectly aligned with the screw to prevent caming out. And the star bit engages more easily than the square drive bit. The screw strips when the bit cams out.

[G. Ross]

One thing I found out. It is easy to get paint out of a slotted screw to remove the screw. Next easiest is a square drive. I just had to replace the surface boards on some outside steps. They were fixed with square drive screws. The holes were full of paint, grit and crud. I dug most of it out with a slim awl then inserted a spare square drive bit and tapped it with a small hammer. Then the bit on the impact driver slipped right in and backed them out. Not sure I could have done this with a star drive screw, but maybe so.

For general use I vote for the star.

[Leon]

I am going to have to say that socket head cap screws come in a variety of harnesses. I have run across many, think Ikey furniture assembly screws, that are less than desirable, the wrench does distort the screw head. On the other hand I use a higher quality screw to mount my router to the router table and while these screws seem to get tighter over time, I have never seen any degradation of the hex recess. These particular screws have held so tightly that cheaper brand hex wrenches will actually cam out and or distort. With a quality hex wrench I toss a towel over the screw and hex wrench and use a short piece of pipe for leverage. The towel is to catch the shrapnel should the wrench break.

[Markem]

I like the square, but have found the star bit to be less costly. Why you ask, I have replace a large number of #2 square bits.

[Leon]

FWIW I have had great success with using an impact driver to remove screws that are corroded, filled with putty and or paint. The impact action seems to work the drive bit in with out doing much precleaning of the head.

[-MIKE-]

I've found that a perfectly mated bit/screw combo is the key. I have a sheetrock Phillips screw bit that holds so tightly to the screw it can actually be a bit of a PITA to get the screw off when removing. Same with square head. If I'm driving square heads with a well mated bit, the bit often comes off the drill extension because it's stuck to the screw. Star heads have shown promise for me since starting to use them regularly. Like Marlow said, the bits can round off at tip, so have some spares.

I honestly don't have a preference, but if I had to choose one to use the rest of my life it would be the Phillips Square-Driv, which is a combo square/Phillips head. I like this because you can take them out with either screw driver. Very convenient. The proper sized bit holds and drives as well as *any* other bit/head combo I've ever used.

[John Grossbohlin]

In cases like this, depending upon access, I split the boards and/or pry them off and then remove the screws with vice-grips... it's faster and less frustrating!

[Ed Pawlowski]

Not a factor for me. Everything I've ever built has been perfect and durable so I've never had the need to take a screw out.

[Swingman]

IME, it is not the screws so much as the bits. The wrong size and/or cheap, worn bit will be a problem sooner rather than later, no matter which screw head you chose.

[Larry Blanchard]

I like the square drive because the driver will hold the screw for easier work in difficult to reach locations. I haven't tried the star so maybe it does the same.

[Puckdropper]

Larry Blanchard wrote in news:lrdscv$kb9$ [e-mail]:

I hadn't really noticed the screws wanting to stick on the bits with the stars. The way they work, transmiting torque via the lobes, it's possible for the fit to be loose or sloppy and still drive screws perfectly.

Puckdropper

[Michael]

Thanks for the info! I can't think of a better place for this kind of help.

[krw]

Star (Torx) does the same. ...in spades. I'll spend a pretty good premium to get the star heads. The exception is sheetrock screws, where the Phillips head really is needed. The Phillips head is designed to cam out.

[clare]

The square "robertson" screw wins hands down for strip-proof. Against ANY other common design

[clare]

By "star" I assume you mean Torx??? They are good, but they will strip a lot easier than the square "robertson" Takes a lot to wear or damage a robertson driver to the point it will slip.

[clare]

Torx will do it too - bit not quite as well as the Robertson.

[clare]

(when, not if!!)