Tried JIS screwdrivers vs regular philips on a Canon AE-1 last night

I spent 2 hours stripping screws on a Canon AE-1 top plate with my regular philips set. Finally gave up and bought a JIS screwdriver kit for like 15 bucks online. First try with the JIS and those screws came right out no problem. Anyone else stubbornly ruin screws before realizing the difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

river3201mo ago

Read a repair blog that said the whole JIS vs Philips thing is a myth invented by tool companies to sell more screwdrivers. Then tried proving it wrong with my own Canon AE-1 and stripped three screws before I understood the difference is actually real. The JIS screwdrivers have a different tip angle that bites better on those little cross heads.

graydavis1mo ago

Did you see @river320's comment about the JIS vs. Philips thing being a myth? My buddy Mike swore up and down it was a gimmick too, tried to fix an old Minolta with a regular Philips, and ended up chattering the head so bad he had to drill the screw out.

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