Tech Tip: JIS screws!

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And in Japan they also put corn on pizza. I dunno.

When working on Japanese made audio, video, and electronic equipment, you may have come across Phillips head screws that just don’t seem to very solidly engage your screwdriver and seem unusually prone to cam-out.

They probably had a small dot next to the usual crossed slots.

Surprise! They’re not really standard Phillips! The dimensions and angles of the cutout that engages the screwdriver are different.

These are JIS standard screws. For best results, always use a JIS screwdriver on them.

For more information, see this excellent Instructable – When a Phillips is not a Phillips which covers JIS, Pozidrive (marked with a small X at 45 degrees to the slots) and maddeningly large number of other lookalikes.