Old screwdriver habit cost me 3 lens jobs before I switched to JIS bits

Back in March I kept stripping out those tiny crossheads on old Canon lenses and blamed the screws. Turns out Phillips bits are the wrong profile for Japanese screws, and JIS bits are designed to seat properly without cam-out. I bought a set at a local hardware show in Portland for $14 and now I check every screw head before touching it. Has anyone else dealt with stripped screws on vintage gear, or do you just drill them out from the start?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryan_hart3812h ago

Aw man, my buddy stripped a vintage lens screw so bad he had to superglue a bit in there.

garcia.wren9h ago

You ever try drilling out one of those tiny screws without nuking the barrel threads? I see it different. Superglue trick works if you got patience and a steady hand, but drilling from the start just trades one problem for a worse one. That bit is gonna walk, slip, or snap off in there, then you're really screwed. I stripped a helicoid screw once trying to force a Phillips bit, but a JIS set and a gentle touch saved it in five minutes. Drilling should be the last move, not the first.