Why Is It Called a “Phillips Head” Screwdriver?

If you’ve ever undertaken any sort of home repair project, it’s all but assured you have either used or heard the following phrase: “Hand me the Phillips head screwdriver.” This distinction is key, as one cannot rotate a flat-head screw with a cross-patterned Phillips head tool nor use a flat-head driver with a Phillips screw.

But why have two different kinds of screws at all? What benefits does one have over the other? And why do we call the crosshead screw a “Phillips head”?

Why It’s Called a Phillips Head

According to the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the Phillips in Phillips head refers to Henry Phillips, an inventor who undertook a radical rethink of fasteners. In 1933, Phillips obtained the rights to a socket screw invented by John Thompson that had a cross-slotted rather than slit head. To turn the screw, one had to use a tool that resembled an arrow at the end. (This wasn’t entirely a novel concept, as an inventor named John Frearson patented a cruciform screw in the late 1800s.)

Why did Thompson sell the patent? Apparently he had trouble getting manufacturers interested, as they feared such a screw might be damaged during production due to the deep depression needed in the center.

Phillips tweaked Thompson’s design further, implementing what the NIHF calls a “cruciform recess” in the head that was shallower than Thompson’s invention, making it both easier to mass-produce as well as turn by hand. He formed the Phillips Screw Company and eventually convinced major manufacturers to switch to his now-patented design.

This was a boon for Phillips, who licensed his patent throughout the world. But it wound up being a mixed blessing: Following World War II, tensions with some foreign powers meant he was unable to collect royalties. Even the U.S. government was at odds with him, accusing his company of engaging in anticompetitive practices. Still, his improvement on Thompson's design transformed the world of tools.

Why the Phillips Head Is Superior

Phillips was so enthusiastic about his design because the screw could be self-centered. As anyone who has driven in a flathead screw can testify, slotted screws need to be centered in their hole and the screwdriver aligned with the head before pressure can be applied. With a Phillips head, the crosshead doesn’t allow for slippage, and the screw is automatically centered.

This was more than just user convenience. Phillips (correctly) anticipated a rise in automated manufacturing, particularly with automobiles, in the coming decades. Having a screw driven in automatically is far easier when a crosshead is used, as the end of the tool can quickly find its place. General Motors was among the first carmakers to be convinced of Phillips’s argument, crafting its 1937 Cadillac with Phillips-style fasteners. The screw became available to the public at large around the same time.

Even if you’re not using power tools, a Phillips head has a distinct advantage over a flathead screw. Because the driver and fastener fit snugly, there’s little chance for the tool to slip and gouge the surface of whatever it is you’re working on: a kitchen cabinet, for example, or a bookshelf.

The Evolution of the Phillips Head

The Phillips head screw is no longer the exclusive purview of Henry Phillips, who died in 1958 and whose patent expired in 1966. In fact, there are variations in the crosshead screw, including one known as the Japanese Industry Standard (JIS). The JIS tends to grab onto the driving tool more securely, which may come in handy if you’re working by hand. (You can spot a JIS screw by the small pinhole off to the side of the crosshead.) In Canada, you may be more likely to find a Robertson-style screw, which is also a crosshead but in more of a square notch. Other designs with deeper notches have also supplanted the Phillips head, though its basic appeal—a no-slip drive—remains.

It's very likely that the Phillips head led to the proliferation of do-it-yourself home improvement projects. With a power driver and a crosshead, you can fasten things far more quickly—and with far less damage—than if you were driving a flathead screw.

The next time you find yourself completing a project and finding that you didn’t have a screwdriver slipping and scratching anything, you should probably remember Henry Phillips, who took John Thompson’s design to another level. “Hand me the Phillips-Thompson,” however, doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.

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