Stubborn or stripped phillips-head screw

[shutupnfish]

Here's a tip for removing a stripped phillips-head screw.  If you have some course valve lapping compound, dab a little on the tip of the screwdriver and try again.  If ya ain't got that, try spittin' on the screwdriver and mixin' that with a little Comet.  It don't work every time but it's worth a shot before breakin' out the drill. 

Steve

[Bassinkorea]

I hate it when those dang philips screws do that  ......thanks for sharing your tip shutupnfish 

[larrylargemouth]

Good tip Steve that might save some time and frustration trying to remove those stripped out screws.

[Keithscatch]

Another tip I have used that has worked on badly stripped out fillips screws is to use a square bit. When a Phillips screw head strips out it forms a square. Use a square bit and it will remove them almost every time.

[shutupnfish]

I'm thinkin' they shoulda fazed out the phillips-head screws right after they fazed out the slotted screws.  But that's just my thinkin'.   

[Joshawa]

I usually just take a dremmel with a cutting disk and cut a large strip into the head of the screw then use a large standard screwdriver to break it loose. It sure beats drilling an old screw out.

[bassinagain]

If you can't dremel a slot in it without damaging the area around it try an allen key you don't care about and use JB weld to attach it to the screw. PUt just a tiny bit on the end of the allen key and when you push it into the hole it should squeeze up around the sides to lock it in place. Leave it in place to dry.
LET IT DRY AT LEAST 24 HOURS.
You will end up throwing out the allen key with the screw but it's a lot easier to use than easy outs.
http://www.brokentap.com/easy-outs.html
Easy outs are very hard and brittle so they can break quite easily if you aren't very careful when you try to remove a screw. Then you are stuck trying to drill through the centre of a hardened piece of steel.
I've also seen these but never used them
http://www.getgrabit.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
They look like they might be easier on small screws to use than an easy out because the don't rely on getting the hole perfectly centred and they look like they work by gripping the head.

[Fishous]

I learned the comet trick when I was in the Navy, but have since found Strip-Out.

I picked up a small tube for a couple of dollars from the local hardware store, but it can also be found here: http://adhesionsolutions.com

A small $4 tube lasts for years. Basically it's fine diamond particles in a paste.

I use it often before even trying a screw that I think might be a tough one to get out.

It's worth it's weight in gold. You simply will not believe how well it works until you try it.

I'll repeat that: You simply will not believe how well it works until you try it.

[-Steve-]

I'm thinkin' they shoulda fazed out the phillips-head screws right after they fazed out the slotted screws.  But that's just my thinkin'.   

I'm not real impressed with torx head either. Give me and allen head or a good old-fasioned hex nut and a set of Vice-Grips and I'll get'r done...I'm pretty good with chanal-locks too...

[bassinagain]

Someday we will convince you guys down there to throw away all your phillips and use Robertson screws instead.
That is the original patented version of the square head and it works much better than the cheap chinese knockoffs. The screws won't fall off the screwdriver and you are more likely to snap the head off a screw before you will strip it.

[Keithscatch]

BTW, I bought the grabits tool as advertised on TV by Billy Mays. Those things are a joke. $20 wasted. DO NOT BE FOOLED like me. They are made by Alden.