Torx head variant or faulty batch?

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

Many thanks to everyone for your interesting and informative range of replies.

The seller, Bolt World, has been prompt in dealing with the matter so far, though the sequence of events do suggest they were aware there was a problem with their stock of these particular screws.

 

My order was for three different sizes of CSK screws. When the order arrived, one of the items (the one that ended up being the rogue batch) was, unaccountably, not CSK but dome-headed. I contacted the seller and was told they would send out the correct item asap, which they did. The rogue batch then arrived. I informed the seller of my concerns, and the response was that, regrettably, this was the only stock they had for this particular item.

I don't know what other people's experience is, but it has happened to me a couple of times recently that a seller/retailer, rather than choose to risk disappointing me by failing to fulfill part of an order because the item ordered is not actually in stock, has chosen to disappoint me somewhat more by silently substituting an item that is only a close match for what I ordered.

I suspect this may have something to do with the, to me, largely incomprehensible reaction of those apparently quite common buyers who give negative feedback of the following kind: "Paid instantly, seller said item not in stock & refunded – OUTRAGEOUS!!!", and I suspect that the subsequent sending out of an item that was almost certainly known to be defective was to do with another fairly common phenomenon, namely that many consumers do not have the time or the inclination to look critically at merchandise they've bought until the moment they come to use it or, somewhat later even, when it fails.

 

I’m not able to say anything authoritative about the relative superiority of Torx and Hex. My feeling, however, is that in the case of very small diameter fasteners in rust-free condition the torque that can be applied before cam-out or deformation of the slot occurs may be slightly higher with Torx than with Hex.

This was really why I opted for Torx as opposed to Hex for these M3 screws; in the past some M3 Hex fasteners did show obvious signs of slot deformation after several tightenings and loosenings. But possibly other factors were at play there: the hex screws being of inadequately hard metal, my Allen key and the hex recesses being a poor dimensional match, my technique…

I'll see if I can capture a clearer, more close-up image of the screw head. If so, I'll post it here.

Thanks again for the responses.

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember32069]

[This posting has been removed]

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

Posted by JasonB on 21/08/2019 15:23:34:

Posted by Clive Hartland on 21/08/2019 15:18:57:

My answer was to put a screwdriver against and wipe it out.

That's not the model engineers way of doing things Clive, you know you should have spent the next three years contemplating making an EDM machine to modify your existing tools

Edited By JasonB on 21/08/2019 15:24:07

Jason you say that like there's something wrong with doing it that way…..

(I actually built an EDM, for this sort of thing and many other jobs, I guess that makes me a fastener-abusing viking heathen. Congrats to Clive with the screwdriver action against the dimple! You're welcome to share the fastener viking designation with me! Now where's my cutting torch and big hammer…….)

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

Its a faulty Torx.

I have had problems before with cap screws being under size/over size. I once even had some with out any hex at all!

When you think how big the batches must be (100,000??) having some bad ones slip through, can't be too much of a surprise.

Jim

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

This can happen when the boss is taking visitors around. He shows them a sample, then chucks it back in the wrong hopper.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bill Phinn on 21/08/2019 16:56:01:

.

Thanks for the much clearer pictures, Bill

Whatever your 'misshapes' are … they are certainly not credible as Torx

… Glad to hear that the Supplier is playing ball.

MichaelG.

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