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Comment by wrinklz | Hacker News Reader

After 40 years of cursing at stripped Phillips heads, I finally discovered the Japanese Industrial Standard. https://www.mcmaster.com/jis-(japanese-industrial-standard)-... They are designed NOT to cam, and grip Phillips screws like a champ. You can use JIS drivers on Phillips screws, even though they're technically a different standard. Apparently one of the best-kept secrets of my lifetime. I can't get those 40 years back, but your life just got better. You are welcome.

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I have one screwdriver that works miracles like that on Philips head screws--the one on my ~40 year old Victorinox Swiss army knife. I've always wondered what the heck they did different from every other screwdriver I've ever owned to make theirs work so much better.

Now I'm wondering if they are actually following some other standard like that Japanese one.

Speaking of screwdrivers, anyone else here also have way more screwdrivers than you can explain? I can only remember ever buying a small number of screwdrivers, but I have several times that number. Most of them don't match any of the others in handle shape and color and material, so it isn't like I bought a couple or so sets that I've forgotten buying. I seem to have somehow individually acquired a bunch of screwdrivers.

I'm not now nor have ever been a very DIY person and all my screwing needs are easily met by just a handful of screwdrivers.

> Speaking of screwdrivers, anyone else here also have way more screwdrivers than you can explain?

I have several full drawers of random screwdrivers.

Unfortunately the JIS standard was phased out and merged with the ISO standard for Phillips screws. I'm sure there's a detail I'm missing about how that was done, but it's harder to find JIS stuff than it used to be. Supposedly the new Phillips standard includes part of what made JIS work so well.

Some older friends who told me stories about people ruining JIS fasteners on bikes and motorcycles because they assumed it was just a Philips. I think the depth of the point is part of the distinction and it causes the drivers to not have adequate contact with the screw head.

Yes, I see that fairly often. A lot of powersport carburetors are Japanese (even for non Japan brands of ATVs) and use JIS screws.

And very very often the owner has tried to take it apart with a Phillips screwdriver and damaged the fasteners as a result.

I have a JIS screwdriver from Vessel that works really well.

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