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Story: Building materials

Screw heads and drivers

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Screw heads and drivers

The heads of traditional wood screws were originally slotted (left), with a recessed groove in the surface. In 1908 a square-drive screw head was invented (mid-left), followed in the 1930s by the Phillips head screw (mid-right). The hexagonal-head Allen key (right) was invented in 1900.

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by Carl Walrond

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How to cite this page

Jeremy Salmond, Building materials – Ironmongery, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/25132/screw-heads-and-drivers (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jeremy Salmond, published 4 March 2010.