How often do you use flathead screwdrivers?

[tjmonsen5]

I have noticed that most screwdriver sets contain more flatheads than phillips. Look at a Snap-on set for example, it containes about 3 phillips and 4-5 flat heads. I hardly use flatheads while working on cars. I use basically 1 flathead screwdriver for hose clamps, thats about it. Seems that the majority of screws are phillips. So, why do the truck brands give you more flat heads than phillips?

 

[ddo]

Because there are a wider range of sizes u need. The difference between using right and wrong size is big. Id use nutdrivers on hose clamps. Using the flathead part is a last resort. Theres tons of flathead screws out there, just maybe not as much on a car.

 

[Altec]

Different size pry bars...

 

[tyndall]

Well, I'm in aviation so my trusty flat heads are the most used tools in my entire box. Stuff around the house is usually robertson. Only when I do automotive do I use phillips more than the rest.

 

[tjmonsen5]

Different size pry bars...

That actually made me laugh out loud.

 

[tweedlestan]

Ever worked on older cars?

 

[MikeF2316]

Different size pry bars...

And different size scrapers. Flat head screwdrivers are great for scraping gaskets and rust off cast iron and steel. Not so good for scraping the aluminum that's so predominant in today's engines, though.

 

[4xdog]

Ever worked on older cars?

+1 on this. My 1962 Triumph TR3B has, I think, only eight small Phillips screws -- holding on the grille. Every other screw, and there are MANY, is slotted. A slotted screwdriver is my MOST used tool.


Don

 

[jontar]

how often do you use blade screwdrivers?,

everyday as an industrial electrician in Alberta, most industrial electrical equipment is blade either 3/16 or 1/4 or 5/16 a lot of terminal strips use 1/8, the commercial and residential stuff is mainly switched to robertson #6 (green) and #8 (red) some #10 (black), #2 phillips is used about 5-10% of the time, the #1 and #3 phillips hardly ever.

 

[firebox40dash5]

+1 on this. My 1962 Triumph TR3B has, I think, only eight small Phillips screws -- holding on the grille. Every other screw, and there are MANY, is slotted. A slotted screwdriver is my MOST used tool.


Don

Mine too, I always need something to get connectors apart, and like Altec said, when my prybars are scattered around the shop, they do great at that, too.

Yet another reason to be thrilled I don't work on Brit cars. I think I've used a slotted screwdriver for its intended purpose about 5 times in as many years.

 

[jontar]

BTW, which ever idiot invented phillips should be shot and then quatered by 4 horses, its the most stupid idea out there next to torx for drivers, and the cam out on reaching torque spec, is joke some retard said to make an excuse why its so crappy.

The biggest advantage to blade screwdrivers (slotted screws) is the torque you can put on them and if in a bind you can use coins, keys, fingernails, just about anything, after 500yrs nobody has invented abetter driver even robertson is lesser then the mighty blade

 

[Carla]

Actually, if you work on pretty much any sort of machinery other than late model cars, you'll need common screw drivers of a great many sizes.

The most obvious example is small-arms work, where the screws are all slotted, and one must have screw drivers which fit the screw slots exactly, to turn the screws without damaging them.

In gun work, particularly on older guns, its common to carefully grind a screw driver to fit the screw slots on a particular gun......the old British double shotguns are notorious for this, as the slots were narrower than American practice, and of no specific width, often as much as .005 or so different amongst the screws on any one gun. I have some sixty-odd...more or less.... probably more, actually, I really don't know just how many.....screw drivers, which I've accumulated over the years, and still have to modify the tips as needed for this or that task.

Cars and trucks of the pre-war era had nothing but slotted screws, many in the electricals, with soft brass screw heads. Chevrolet cars and truck engines were known as 'stovebolts' from the many 'stovebolt' slotted-head screws used on the oil pan and sideplates.

Screw drivers which fit the screw heads correctly, and had a suitable shank and handle length were essential, if one was to make reasonable time on one's work. One would need 'stubby' screw drivers for some tight locations, long-shank ones for others, and screw driver tips for socket ratchets/breaker bars for some applications where significant torque was required turn the screws.

The Phillips and Reed-Prince screws weren't commonly used until the 1940's. These, of course, were faster or more convenient to drive in production, as were the 'clutch-head' screws used by General Motors or the less common Canadian pattern 'Robertson' screws.

If you are so fortunate as to be able to work primarily on equipment which has Allen head or Bristol spline screws, or the more modern 'torx', you are indeed lucky......... : )

cheers

Carla

 

[zkling]

How often do I use a flat head screwdriver?

Seems like quite often. Depending on what I am working on.

I have probably 50 "flat head" screwdrivers. YES I actually do use all of them. Of course I have the standard set of 8 or whatever for general around the house use. The other 40 or so are all ones that I custom ground into hollow tips for gun smiting work or the like. One thing that really irks me is when someone has used a tapered ground flat screwdriver on a gun screw

Actually I prefer hollow ground screwdriver overall as they allow for better torque without damaging the fastener. Now their downside being that one size fits almost one screw. Thus the reason I have probably 40 of them that I custom ground myself. Just pick up cheap broken screwdriver at garage sales and the like, then re grind them as need be. One tip if you do this... Try to use only high quality screwdrivers. The cheaper ones have really ductile metal and are hard to keep from deforming.

I actually got into a argument with my highschool teacher when she said that a screwdriver is the proper tool to open a paint can. I told her she was wrong. No one else in my class believed me . On the last day for the year I brought her a proper paint can opener.

 

[kiatech]

Ask an electrician.

 

[jeffmoss26]

All the time. Whether it's doing phone/data work, taking apart locks to rekey them, etc.

 

[humpdawg]

More often than Torx and Phillips/Pozidriv drivers combined.
Usually for prying(mostly clips) more than using on fasteners. I only feel comfortable driving flat heads by hand.

BTW, which ever idiot invented phillips should be shot and then quatered by 4 horses, its the most stupid idea out there next to torx for drivers, and the cam out on reaching torque spec, is joke some retard said to make an excuse why its so crappy.

I agree about phillips screws. Pozidrivs are just as bad if not worse. I like torx and flat heads, though.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

Hose clamps

 

[Brownsfan]

Only around the house. Also when doing reomte starts. Use it to open up the wire I need to tap into. And then there is using them as a punch pry bar or chisel.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

As screwdrivers? Rarely if ever. Mini-Prybars/Alignment tools? All the time. Honestly I think the last time I used a flat blade was to assemble some cheap childrens furniture with these:

Certian sense of irony using a 25.00 screwdriver to assemble 25.00 furniture...LOL. I only use my Cman's as prybars...my Snappy & MAC drivers are for fastener use only...hence they are all just like new.

Havent used them for electrical work since I got my Milwaukee and now Whia Terminal Tip screwdrivers...
Any time I come across anything slotted head I usually replace it with anything other then slotted.

 

[PowerGenGuy]

I also cannot stand phillips head srews. I much prefer Robertson or hex head!

 

[wafrederick]

When taking apart GM transfer cases,there is a slot to put a flat head screwdriver in to seperate the cases while spreading the snap ring away from a bearing.Did this on Friday taking apart a GM 261 transfer case because of a bad shift fork

 

[montanafordman]

My 31 Model A pre-dates Phillips screws, the only screws on the car are all slotted.

 

[noctone]

I'm a field engineer for an electrical testing and maintenance company, so quite often. Flathead tweaker is probably my most indispensable tool, actually, use it all the time to change trip settings on breakers.

 

[jmm]

Every day. They do everything. Besides turn screws they're great for light duty prying, make good picks when a proper pick isn't necessary, they clean/scrape/chisel, are a great assembly tool, can be used to turn old school spark plug sockets (I use one about once a week). I'm a loom fixer, and there are a LOT of adjustments to a loom that can be made with a smaller flathead. I know I'm missing more uses. Heck, if I really needed a weapon, a straight blade screwdriver would make a nice shank, too. Flatheads are one of the top 3 most used tools I own, and are completely necessary in a wide range of sizes.

But I don't use one on hose clamps -- I always use a little ratchet or nut driver on those.

 

[Holt]

Everyday for phone work and wallplates for cable; Phone; and data

 

[mrjaw14]

used all the time in electrical work and low-voltage work. I also use them on older wood screws I come across that aren't phillips.

 

[Haveblue]

I use them all the time for many reasons, but rebuilding carburetors comes to mind..for removing the jets and seat. Some of my flatheads are "beaters" and some are ones I wont pry with or abuse..they are the ones I use on carburetors.

 

[SoulDe]

There are more sizes of flat screwdrivers that phillips.

For example, for flathead:
3/32 ", 1/8", 5/32 ", 3/16", 1/4 ", 5/16", 3/8 ", 7/16", 1/2 ". For 0-24 screws.

For phillips:
0,1,2,3,4. For 0-24 screws.

 

[bustdknuckle]

I use em to measure the thickness of brake pads on semis for wear if the customer wants to be nit picky or im trying to upsell work on a dot

 

[tjmonsen5]

Ok makes sense, they are not found on modern cars. Mostly house work, old cars, field service. I do use my flat heads on carbs a lot to remove jets. Also a great tool to push battery straps onto their hooks in jetskis!

 

[cookefab]

Ever worked on Stihl chainsaws? I've taken to working on small engines in the past few years - not counting my own stuff - and I was able to justify upgrading my flat heads to SO Instinct drivers...

I use flat heads every day, for something or another...

 

[supertooljunkie]

I'm a commercial electrician. I have 1 phillips screwstick in my pouch, and 5-6 flatblades.

 

[TAftw]

I hate flathead when using a power tool to drive them. Taking out old phillips head screw with a screw gun can be a PITA too cause something the strip out. I prefer torx or square drive if using a screw gun. Otherwise I'd say I like nut drivers the best.

 

[Matt018]

I use them tons on small engines.

 

[RLYoung]

Never for their intended purpose if I can help it. Hose clamps get the nut driver treatment. I severely dislike flat head fasteners.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

Never for their intended purpose if I can help it. Hose clamps get the nut driver treatment. I severely dislike flat head fasteners.

I second this!

 

[azcactus]

xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[DodgeMech]

I use them as mini pry bars and picks...and as a way to cover my damned hand in blood when i miss what i was prying on haha...

 

[MPOWERD]

I use them all the time. Used 2 different sizes today when taking apart my Craftsman 1960s era bench vise...

 

[marlinspike]

BTW, which ever idiot invented phillips should be shot and then quatered by 4 horses, its the most stupid idea out there next to torx for drivers, and the cam out on reaching torque spec, is joke some retard said to make an excuse why its so crappy.

The biggest advantage to blade screwdrivers (slotted screws) is the torque you can put on them and if in a bind you can use coins, keys, fingernails, just about anything, after 500yrs nobody has invented abetter driver even robertson is lesser then the mighty blade

What's wrong with Torx? Torx is my favorite! (well, Torx plus is even better, but nobody is using it yet)