Phillips vs. JIS (called "plus" in Japanese) vs. DIN 5260-PH/ISO 8763-1 Screwdrivers
It seems that there is a lot of confusion regarding the various types of recessed cross-head screws and screwdrivers -- well, for me anyway!
Most folks are aware that JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screwdrivers and US phillips screwdrivers are different, and that JIS screwdrivers usually work okay with phillips screws, but not vice versa. The tip of a phillips screwdriver won't fully enter the head of a JIS screw, resulting in cam-out and damage to the screw. This diagram shows the differences in the screwdriver tip profiles:
View media item 84494
However, the situation regarding JIS screwdrivers is more complicated. Based on my reading, the JIS screwdriver standard has been largely abandoned, despite the fact that there are probably billions of JIS screws still in use (which are often marked with a small dimple between two of the arms of the crossed slots).
View media item 84493
It appears that many Japanese companies, including Vessel, now manufacture their screwdrivers to conform with DIN 5260-PH/ISO 8763-1 rather than the defunct JIS standard, and that Nepros has decided to not follow any standards and to make its screwdrivers according to its own internal specifications.
Believe it or not, it was really hard to find detailed information regarding the differences between the JIS and DIN/ISO screwdriver standards, but I finally ran across the following very helpful diagram at a Japanese motorcycle discussion site. (BTW, the Japanese characters in the table mean "minimum value".) It's clear how close the two standards are, which is why Japanese and European screwdrivers both seem to work fine with JIS (and also phillips) screws.
View media item 84492
Hope you find this information interesting.
It seems that there is a lot of confusion regarding the various types of recessed cross-head screws and screwdrivers -- well, for me anyway!
Most folks are aware that JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screwdrivers and US phillips screwdrivers are different, and that JIS screwdrivers usually work okay with phillips screws, but not vice versa. The tip of a phillips screwdriver won't fully enter the head of a JIS screw, resulting in cam-out and damage to the screw. This diagram shows the differences in the screwdriver tip profiles:
View media item 84494
However, the situation regarding JIS screwdrivers is more complicated. Based on my reading, the JIS screwdriver standard has been largely abandoned, despite the fact that there are probably billions of JIS screws still in use (which are often marked with a small dimple between two of the arms of the crossed slots).
View media item 84493
It appears that many Japanese companies, including Vessel, now manufacture their screwdrivers to conform with DIN 5260-PH/ISO 8763-1 rather than the defunct JIS standard, and that Nepros has decided to not follow any standards and to make its screwdrivers according to its own internal specifications.
Believe it or not, it was really hard to find detailed information regarding the differences between the JIS and DIN/ISO screwdriver standards, but I finally ran across the following very helpful diagram at a Japanese motorcycle discussion site. (BTW, the Japanese characters in the table mean "minimum value".) It's clear how close the two standards are, which is why Japanese and European screwdrivers both seem to work fine with JIS (and also phillips) screws.
View media item 84492
Hope you find this information interesting.
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