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Security Torx vs standard Torx: pin, hole, and the label

Updated: October 2026

You are holding a screw with a pin in the star, or a box that says tamper-proof, and a plain bit will not go in. Security Torx vs standard Torx is that difference. A standard recess is six lobes and an open centre. A security recess is the same star with a post in the centre, and the matching bit has a hole. Insight Security, in Lewes, says that pin blocks a standard Torx key. The [Torx bits comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/torx-bits) lists twelve amazon.co.uk sets. The Products Compared editorial team checked those listings on 15 October 2026 and did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are holding a screw with a pin in the star, or a box that says tamper-proof, and a plain bit will not go in. Security Torx vs standard Torx is that difference. A standard recess is six lobes and an open centre.

Our top picks

Facoow Facoow 26-piece mixed set

Best overall

Facoow Facoow 26-piece mixed set
8.7/10about £9.99
View offer
WORKPRO WORKPRO 16-piece security set

Alternative

WORKPRO WORKPRO 16-piece security set
8.6/10about £7.99
View offer
HORUSDY HORUSDY 14-piece tamper set

Best value

HORUSDY HORUSDY 14-piece tamper set
8.3/10about £5.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Pin in the screw, hole in the bit
  2. 2.H, TT, and TR are not a guarantee
  3. 3.What these listings actually split
  4. 4.A deterrent, not a lock
  5. 5.Which bit to pick up

Pin in the screw, hole in the bit

If a post stands in the centre of the star, a solid bit stops on it. The lobes never seat. Insight Security and Vital Parts both say a plain key will not seat on a pin. You need a pin-Torx bit, with a hole, in the same T-number. You do not need a special shank. CRL Laurence UK says its tamper inserts fit standard heads and tamper-proof ones. That is not a strength test. Do not file the pin off.

H, TT, and TR are not a guarantee

H, as in T20H, TT, and TR are shop labels for a holed size. None of those letters proves every bit in the case is holed. Read the line that names the pieces. Facoow, at £9.99, says T5 and T6 are not tamper-proof. LIBRATON, at £13.99, lists TT7 to TT40 while another line says standard and anti-theft. The suffix does not answer whether the bit is for an impact driver.
Facoow Facoow 26-piece mixed set

Testsieger

Facoow Facoow 26-piece mixed set
8.7/10about £9.99
View offer

What these listings actually split

WORKPRO, at £7.99, prints plain T4 to T6, then holed T7H to T40H. HORUSDY, at £5.99, keeps T5 plain and states a hole from T6 to T40. One bit bent. BAKESHU prints plain bits to T40 and holed bits to T50H, with no plain T50. ELEAD’s title says tamper-proof and does not tabulate the holes. One reviewer said the centre hole was too small. Wera’s Bit-Check 30 TX and LEXIVON’s LX-143 are plain.

A deterrent, not a lock

Insight calls the screws tamper-proof and, in one line, "virtually impossible" to remove without the matching driver. That overstates a shop product. Masfix singles start around £1.50 excluding VAT, and Toolstation, Wessex Fixings and Universal Hardware sell the bits too.

Which bit to pick up

Use a plain bit when the centre of the star is open. Use a holed bit of the same T-number when you can see a pin. Trust the contents line. The screw is a deterrent, not a lock.

Common questions

How do I see the difference on the screw?
Look into the star. A standard Torx screw has six lobes and an empty centre. A security screw has the same six lobes and a pin in the centre. Insight Security describes that pin as the part that blocks a standard key. You can often see it on a console case or a trim screw. If the centre is open, try a solid bit. If the pin is there, a solid bit will stop on it.
Will a solid Torx bit ever seat on a pin?
No. The pin meets the solid tip before the lobes are home. Insight Security, Vital Parts, and Universal Hardware all describe that block. Pressing harder, or running the drill faster, rounds the lobes. It does not compress the pin. You need a holed bit of the same T-number. A near size, such as T15 in a T20H screw, is still wrong.
Can a bit with a hole turn a plain star screw?
Yes, in the ordinary case. CRL Laurence UK says its tamper inserts fit standard Torx heads as well as tamper-proof ones. The hole has no pin to clear. That is a fit statement from the seller, not a measured strength comparison. If the lobes match, the hole is not in the way. Do not assume a published weakness figure. There is not one here.
What do H, TT, and TR mean on a listing?
They are shop suffixes for the holed size. T20H on the WORKPRO list is the holed T20. TT on the LIBRATON bullet and on Toolstation’s ROKTOR set means the same idea. TR is another label for a pin-Torx bit. The letters do not guarantee every piece in a security box is holed. Facoow states that T5 and T6 are not tamper-proof. Read the line that names each size.
Why does a security set still include solid bits?
The small sizes are often plain, and the listing may say so in one sentence. WORKPRO includes plain T4 to T6, then holed bits from T7H. HORUSDY includes one plain T5 and tamper bits from T6 to T40. Those plain pieces turn open stars and will not clear a pin. If your screw is a pinned T5 or T6, confirm a hole in that size before you order.
Is a security screw a lock?
No. It deters someone who only has a plain Torx key. UK shops sell the matching bit. Masfix lists single pin-Torx bits from about £1.50 excluding VAT, and Toolstation, Wessex, and Universal Hardware sell them too. Insight’s “virtually impossible” line means impossible with the wrong driver. It is not an invitation to remove screws from property you do not look after.
What if the hole is there but the pin still will not enter?
The bore may be too small, or the T-number may be one size off. An ELEAD reviewer on amazon.co.uk found a centre hole that would not clear the pin, even though the title said tamper-proof. Try another listed holed size only if the lobes match. Do not drill or file the pin. A single pin-Torx bit in the size you can see is a smaller buy than another mixed box.

Related pages

How to use Torx bits

Best Torx bit set

Torx bit set buying guide

Torx bits

Torx bits for impact drivers: shock zone, not the title

Sources

Public sources used for this comparison. Last checked on 16 October 2026.

  1. ISO 10664:2014 — hexalobular internal driving feature (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. BS EN ISO 10664:2014 — UK text of the recess standard (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. ISO 1173:2001 — assembly tools for screws and nuts, drive ends (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. Wera Impaktor TORX bits — impact geometry, not this Bit-Check (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. HSE — selecting powered equipment (PUWER) (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015 — GOV.UK (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Insight Security — security Torx pin and matching bit (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. Camcar — TORX trademark and tamper-resistant family (retrieved 16 October 2026)