this post was submitted on 07 Oct 2025
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Okay, now I'm really confused. I was going to comment that the six-lobe shape is known to me as star bits, and then I did a search to see if anyone else uses the name, but these sites say they're 5-point bits, but they're star-shaped, not pentagons. The star bits in my security bit set all have six points, and I've not come across a five-pointed star screw because I'd surely remember being pissed off about them not working. Where/when are five-pointed stars used?
6-lobe, star, and Torx are all names for the same somewhat common screw type. Torx is a trademarked brand name however.
Separately there's a 5-lobe screw called 'pentalobe' that's looks just like the 6-lobe but with, well..., 5 lobes. It was developed by Apple iirc, to keep people out of their products and make repair harder.
My previous house had security screens on the windows with screws that I could never find a driver for - it was a few years ago, but I think they were pentalobe with the security nub in the middle. I didn't look too hard though - it was a good excuse to not wash the windows.
The common hack makes it easier to remember: the common star, or brand name Torx, is the same as a hexagon. If you have a full set of both SAE and Metric star drivers, there is a star that will fit tightly into nearly all hexagon cap screws. If you strip a hexagon screw cap, using a star driver will often work to remove it. This only works because it is the same number of points.
There are many other types, but the common star is the 6 point.