A point not made often enough, in fact we as WW are to blame for giving the Phillips head an undeserved reputation due to the fact we misuse it as we do. This was the reason Pozidrive was developed as well as the other common drives we should all be using. Robertson missed the boat when it did not get used on the world's production lines unfortunately.
That is probably true, but to be fair, the choice was limited by availability of options. To this day, in retail locations, the only real alternative is Torx. Robertson is only used in cabinet shops and RV manufacturers.
If Ford had used Robertson screws someone would have invented a screw gun with torque limiting clutch way back then.
Sure, they would have made it work. Phillips was a compromise, but he could control it.
All my Philips insert bits are Wera bits. After you use a Wera Philips screwdriver, you realize nothing holds the same.
True, those blasted tips make a huge difference. I can only imagine that there is a lifespan to it, but I haven't found it yet.
The Robertson does not cam out as EASILY as the Phillips does. I have had Robertson bits cam out on me when I'm not careful, especially when using stainless screws as the stainless is relatively soft. And when a Robertson cams out, they can become almost impossible to remove.
That's the reason I've pretty much switched over to Torx for everything when that's possible.
A Robertson spinning is most likely either a quality issue or alignment. Too tight or too loose are both problems, with tips, along with screw manufacturing. There are more variables in a non-tapered fit.
The softness of stainless would fall into that too.
Some odd sizes don't even exist anymore in PZ, only in Torx. I needed 4x35mm, countersunk head, partial threading, stainless. Spax has them, but only in Torx. But the reverse is true too with some others.
Meet my employer... we have the same screw in PH, PZ, Slot, Allen, Torx. And when it's panhead, often also in external hex.
Yeah, that's a little crazy. I have always had to be able to drive anything, you never know what is coming, but the shop's supplies were consistent.
They even go to the trouble to have 1 1/4" and 1 5/8" cabinet screws in different finishes. You can almost blindly be sure of the size that way.
I don’t know if there is an intentional difference between R2 and S2 bits (nominally the same) but some hold much better than others. Same with “square drive screws”. The ones I find most annoying are the combination Phillips/square from McFeely’s. The fit with a good bit is sloppy and they even can out occasionally.
Yes, those combo screws are the worst. They don't hold well enough for Phillips
and are likely to spin in Robertson too.
People have been saying this for years, but if you go back and look at the original patent documents, no such capability is mentioned.
I think this is a case of Mandela Effect where people are so used to cam out they believe it must have been a design feature rather than an artifact.
The cam out wasn't intentional, though it sure works for drywall guys.
If I had to guess, considering the times, it was probably the easiest. The taper takes some precision out of the specifications, both tool and fastener. Cam out was just a by-product. The goal was self-centering.
My house was built in 1953. All nails or slotted head screws.
I replaced a couple of interior doors. I learned to hate slotted head screws.
I took way longer to replace slotted screws in residential construction, mostly because of drivers. Cabinet shops used Yankee drivers, for small hardware screws, but major construction was all about nails.
