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Security Torx vs Torx: the pin decides the tip

Updated: October 2026

You are looking at a star screw and you are not sure whether the mark in the middle is a pin. Security Torx vs Torx is that one difference. A plain six-point driver bottoms on the post and does not turn the screw. A bored tip, sold as security Torx, pin Torx, tamper-proof Torx or Torx TR, is cut so the pin can pass. This page is that fit, and when the bored tip is the weaker steel on a large tight fastener. The sets are in our [Torx screwdriver set comparison](/hub/hand-tools/torx-screwdriver-set). The Products Compared editorial team wrote this on 16 October 2026 from amazon.co.uk listings, not from a laboratory torque test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are looking at a star screw and you are not sure whether the mark in the middle is a pin. Security Torx vs Torx is that one difference. A plain six-point driver bottoms on the post and does not turn the screw.

Our top picks

SWANLAKE GARDEN TOOLS SWANLAKE 13-piece Torx set T5–T40

Best overall

SWANLAKE GARDEN TOOLS SWANLAKE 13-piece Torx set T5–T40
8.9/10about £11.99
View offer
GURADESIGN GURADESIGN 13-piece Torx set T5–T40

Best value

GURADESIGN GURADESIGN 13-piece Torx set T5–T40
8.7/10about £9.89
View offer
US PRO US PRO 8-piece tamper-proof Torx set

Alternative

US PRO US PRO 8-piece tamper-proof Torx set
6.9/10about £9.41
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the pin changes
  2. 2.Which driver fits which screw
  3. 3.Where the bored tip is the wrong default
  4. 4.What this comparison’s listings actually say

What the pin changes

Insight Security describes the centre pin as the feature that stops a standard six-point driver. The lobes can look the same as a plain star of the same T-code. The post is what a solid tip cannot pass. If the recess is in shadow, use a light. A bored T20 is not a bored T15. Seating the tip, and stopping when it cams out, is the job of the how to use a Torx screwdriver page. Vacuum and washer covers sit on the appliance page. Torx Plus and external E-Torx are different drives. Do not treat either name as a pin in a standard star.

Which driver fits which screw

A standard driver does not drive a pinned screw. The solid tip hits the post and the screw stays still. Extra force marks the lobes. A bored driver often turns a plain star of the same size, because the hole clears the middle. Accu says its security Torx keys also suit its own standard range, which is a claim about those keys, not every cheap bit. A tip one size down still sits badly. If the driver rocks with the tip fully home, it is the wrong piece. The buying guide is where you filter span and tip type.
SWANLAKE GARDEN TOOLS SWANLAKE 13-piece Torx set T5–T40

Testsieger

SWANLAKE GARDEN TOOLS SWANLAKE 13-piece Torx set T5–T40
8.9/10about £11.99
View offer

Where the bored tip is the wrong default

Buy the bored tip for the screw that has a pin. Do not make it the default for a large seized fastener that is a plain star. The hole leaves less steel in the tip, so a security driver is the weaker section when torque is high. These sources give no percentage, because none was measured. On a small pinned housing screw, that thinner section is the correct tool. On a large plain screw, a solid tip of the same size is the stronger choice. Snapping the pin out damages the screw and can damage whatever it holds.

What this comparison’s listings actually say

Read the security claim size by size. The US PRO set fits tamper-proof and standard Torx, except the T8, which is not tamper-proof. A pinned T8 is outside that driver. One review found a Phillips driver in the T8 slot, so check the stamp. A Phillips blade in a Torx slot is the wrong drive, which Torx, Pozidriv or Phillips separates from the pin. The Anesty title says tamperproof, while the head-style line says Torx and bored tips are not listed size by size. This page does not resolve that clash. Jorest kits name security sizes as TR codes. A plain Torx bit in the same box is not bored because it shares a handle. The Amtech set is T5 to T10, and a review says the tips are standard Torx.

Common questions

How do I tell security Torx from plain Torx?
Look into the recess. A post in the centre is the security screw. A plain star of the same T-code has six lobes and an empty middle. Packets may say security Torx, pin Torx, tamper-proof Torx or Torx TR. If the hole is in shadow, use a light before you choose a solid tip.
Will a security driver fit a normal star screw?
Often, at the same size, and not for every bit. A bored tip can drive a plain star because the hole clears a middle that is not there. Accu’s claim is about its own keys. A bored tip that rocks, or that is a size down, is still the wrong driver.
Will a normal driver fit a pinned screw?
No. The solid tip bottoms on the pin and the screw does not turn. You need a bored tip in the same T-code, and the listing has to say that size is bored. A title that says tamperproof while another line only says Torx is not that confirmation.
Are security tips as strong?
Treat them as the weaker section when the screw is large and tight. The hole leaves less steel in the tip. That is not a measured percentage for these sets. On a small pinned housing screw, the bored tip is still the tool that can start the job.
Is the Anesty set tamper-proof in every size?
The listing does not show that. The title says tamperproof. The head-style field says Torx, and bored tips are not listed size by size. If your screw has a pin, confirm a bored tip in that size on the live page.
Should I break the pin out of the screw?
No. Breaking the pin so a plain driver will fit damages the screw and can damage the part it holds. Buy a bored tip of the same size instead. If you cannot see a pin, stop and look rather than snapping the middle of the screw.

Related pages

Torx screwdriver sets 2026

Best Torx screwdriver set UK: who each pick is for

Torx screwdriver set buying guide: size, pin, form

Torx screwdriver for appliances: start at the screw

How to use a Torx screwdriver and not round the screw

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. Method dated 15 October 2026. Page updated October 2026.

  1. ISO 10664:2014 hexalobular internal driving feature (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005, Great Britain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. Screwfix: types of screwdrivers (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. Insight Security: what is a Torx screw (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. Bosch DIY: Torx screwdriver set 1600A02BX6 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. Wonkee Donkee: what are sockets made of (retrieved 15 October 2026)