Screwdrivers: how to hold it safely

Learn to hold and use a screwdriver safely so screws go in straight without slipping or hurting your hand.

SH-01Match the screwdriver to the screwLook at the screw head. A flathead has one straight slot. A Phillips has a plus-shaped cross. A Pozi looks similar to Phillips but has extra small lines between the arms of the cross - using the wrong one of these two makes the tip slip. Hold the driver tip against the screw head and check it fills the slot or cross fully, with no wobble.

SH-02Grip the handle in your palmHold the handle in your whole fist like you're gripping a jar lid to open it, not just with your fingertips. Your thumb should wrap around one side. This grip lets you push and turn at the same time without the handle twisting loose in your hand.

SH-03Keep your other hand out of the wayNever hold the workpiece with a hand directly in front of or below where the screwdriver could slip off the screw head. If the tip skates off, it can jab forward hard and fast. Steady the work with your hand to the side instead, or brace it against a table.

SH-04Push down before you turnPress the tip firmly into the screw head first, then turn. Pushing without enough force is the most common beginner mistake - the tip hops out of the slot (called cam-out) and chews up the screw head. You should feel steady resistance, not a grinding or slipping feeling.

SH-05Turn with your wrist, not just your fingersRotate the handle using your whole wrist and forearm, keeping the push steady throughout. Small, weak finger twists cause the tip to lift and slip. For a very tight screw, use both hands: one on the handle turning, one on top pressing down.

SH-06Check the result looks rightA correctly driven screw sits flush with the surface (or with its head slightly recessed for countersunk screws), turns smoothly right to the end, and the screw head slot or cross still looks crisp and undamaged. If the head is chewed up, rounded, or the screw stopped turning but isn't tight, stop and reassess rather than forcing it further.

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