Robertson is good for low torque applications (like the electrical conduit bodies I use at work that use a robertson with a slot to seal their lid)
Not so much for higher torque applications, like wood screws.
my 1860s house had a lot of work done in the 70s with square drive. A lot of them got stripped / cammed going in. Many of the others have rusted enough or the steel is too soft (since the house has settled a bit more theres more sheer weight on the screw) and are impossible to remove without stripping.
A clear advantage to the Robertson, though, is when they strip, they leave a fairly deep round hole with little taper to the walls- i can often remove them with a screw extractor with little to no pre drilling.
I think hex heads belong on the ‘good’ list too, especially at larger sizes for higher tork applications. (I use ground screws with 8 and sometimes 10 hex bolts that tighten onto 2" steel pipe, that wants 60-100 ft lbs of torque. Its pretty easy to get your whole body weight on them without stripping, or the tool slipping out, like happens when working with regular bolt heads.
Six-lobe/Torx reigns supreme.
Square/Robertson is only acceptable if you are Canadian.
Everything else on the chart is mental illness.
Robertson is good for low torque applications (like the electrical conduit bodies I use at work that use a robertson with a slot to seal their lid)
Not so much for higher torque applications, like wood screws.
my 1860s house had a lot of work done in the 70s with square drive. A lot of them got stripped / cammed going in. Many of the others have rusted enough or the steel is too soft (since the house has settled a bit more theres more sheer weight on the screw) and are impossible to remove without stripping.
A clear advantage to the Robertson, though, is when they strip, they leave a fairly deep round hole with little taper to the walls- i can often remove them with a screw extractor with little to no pre drilling.
I think hex heads belong on the ‘good’ list too, especially at larger sizes for higher tork applications. (I use ground screws with 8 and sometimes 10 hex bolts that tighten onto 2" steel pipe, that wants 60-100 ft lbs of torque. Its pretty easy to get your whole body weight on them without stripping, or the tool slipping out, like happens when working with regular bolt heads.