Phillips Head Screws: Available in 1938

With all due respect to the other posters, I'd be surprised if the Phillips screw originated as a patent alternative to square head screws.

I use square head screws occasionally in woodworking -- they are also called trim screws. The advantage to Phillips screws is that once they are tightened, the driver head pops out of the screw. This is a feature, not a bug, and is ideal for fast ***embly line work. You want this feature when you are screwing into wood with a power screwdriver (with no torque limiter) so that you don't strip the wood. You want this feature when you are installing drywall so you don't rip through the drywall. You don't want this feature when you are tightening a machine screw to a high torque. Then you want a screw head where the bit stays firmly engaged at high torque, and a square head screw is better suited than a Phillips screw.

I'd be surprised if Henry Ford considered one to be an acceptable subs***ution/alternative to the other, because each has different advantages.

 

I started a thread a while back talking about period correct fasteners and the material they were made from but never got into the choice of screw drive types. I was more thinking about bolts than screws and was contemplating the use of ****on head capscrews and stainless as a material for fasteners.

Neat to read about the history of some of these screws.

Steve

 

A ****on head socket screw is not as strong of a design as a socket head cap screw. ****on heads are used more for decorative type stuff and when you want a smooth surface that isn't going to snag on stuff. They use a smaller sized hex wrench than a socket head cap screw. A socket head cap screw is stronger though. Here's some pictures of the two for people that may not know the difference. ****onheads sure polish up nice though. They look like a polished rivet head.

 

Here are two good sorces for you guys, as fas as hard to find hardware:

www.m-f-w.com and www.fastenerbarn.com

both of these companies are in the bussiness of searching out and buying remaindered fasteners from all over the country and collecting them in their very well inventoried Michigan warehouses. I sell antique builders hardware and they are my source for solid br*** and nickle plated oval head slotted wood screws in all the hard to find sizes.

The Petersen museum (right down the street) called us a few years ago in a panic because they had lost a Nickle plated oval head from the dash of a Delahaye loaned for their exhibit. Luckily I had a few in the right diameter, no charge.

BTW - if anyone need old doorknobs or mortise locks, PM me

Woody