Why torx screws?

[ichor]

Originally posted by T. Erdelyi
Bottom line, the torx configuration provides more surface area for the driver to work with. providing a more secure fit and ability to apply more torque.

There's the answer we were looking for. Thank you. !!

 

[ichor]

Originally posted by allenC
When it comes to screws, torx screws are okay I guess, but I prefer the old slotted screw over any other. The best thing about a standard screw is that you often don't even need a screwdriver to tighten or loosen one, just a flat edge like a blade or coin.

I think I've stripped more phillips screws than any other type of screw.

Allen.

What?! You don't always have a SAK?? Never use a coin on anything you care about! Slotted screws should be banned from the planet. They strip worse than any other kind, especially if you use the wrong size screwdriver. Anyone that likes slotted screws has never tried to take apart a vintage lightweight racing bicycle. My 3 cents

 

[Sergiusz Mitin]

The torx screws provide more contact surface than hex (allen?) ones. This is truth with one quite important reservation – if they are properly made. The great deal of torx headers I have dealt with were made too shallow and too inaccurate to fit driver firmly and they come rounded pitifully easily. I have met also some torx screws what one driver was too small for and next – too big.
Unfortunately this concerns also brand named knives...

I think the matter is not only screw header format as itself, even more important is how precisely it is made.

I remember my youth days when Philips header became common. First time it was real horror in comparison with traditional, slotted header. Not because the idea was bad as itself but because each manufacturer made them slightly another way, both screws and drivers. Now I can observe something like this with torx ones. Let’s hope things will came somewhat more normal with time, however it is not mandatory in our crazy times.

BTW, if humanity couldn’t survey with slotted and allen screws it wouldn’t survey and philips and torx counterparts wouldn’t be invented at all. The best way to mess everything it trial to fix something what works acceptably well.

 

[knifenerd]

Originally posted by Sergiusz Mitin
I remember my youth days when Philips header became common. First time it was real horror in comparison with traditional, slotted header. Not because the idea was bad as itself but because each manufacturer made them slightly another way, both screws and drivers. Now I can observe something like this with torx ones. Let’s hope things will came somewhat more normal with time, however it is not mandatory in our crazy

Amen. The tolerances seem to very widely, particulartly on the smaller Torx screws. Sometimes you feel as if you are "between" 2 sizes and have to just hold your breath and take a chance. I'd like to see more industry-wide uniformity. I think the problem may be that manufacturers are in many cases using cheap screws from third-party suppliers.

 

[Boink]

Aesthetics are good with Torx screws also. Slotted screws, when tightened, may not have all the slots aligned with one another.