ISO 2380-1 specifies the internationally standardized shape and dimensions of the tips of screwdrivers for slotted-head screws as well as the minimum test torque the blade-to-handle connection shall withstand. Note that it is this typical chisel shape which allows 9 screwdriver sizes to drive 24 different slotted screw sizes, with the drawbacks of not fitting as closely as a hollow-ground screwdriver would, and increasing the possibility of damaging the fastener or surrounding area. Flat-blade jeweler's screwdrivers and the tips found in 1⁄ 4-inch or 6.4-millimeter drive sets are generally hollow-ground. A hollow-ground screwdriver is less likely to cam out (leave the slot due to the torque being translated into an axial force, similar to that encountered with Phillips drive but dependent only on driver blade), so more torque can be applied without damaging the screw head.

The tool used to drive a slot is called a common blade, flat-blade, slot-head, flat-tip or flat-head / flathead screwdriver. For this reason, cruciform-slotted along with drives have replaced the slot drive in numerous applications. However, this design is not well-suited for installation by power tools, given that a power driver often slips out of the slot this often causes damage to the screw and surrounding material. Slot screws are also used in the restoration of antique furniture, vehicles, and equipment. The slotted screw is commonly found in existing products and installations, along with use in simple carpentry work and in applications where minimal torque is needed. Additionally, it is unique because the slot head is straightforward to manufacture, and because it can be driven by a simple handtool. This form was the first type of screw drive to be developed, and for centuries, it was the simplest and cheapest to make because it can just be sawed or filed. Slot screw drives have a single horizontal indentation (the slot) in the fastener head and is driven by a 'common blade' or flat-bladed screwdriver. Standard slot screwdriver sizes (ISO 2380).

Slotted drives Slot drive tool and screw sizes Blade width

T slot bolt m3