Home Forums Hardware Mac Desktops & Notebooks looking for itty bitty bits

I suppose this is as good a place as any to ask? I consider myself a well-prepared tech, and have a generous amount of security bits and specialized tools, but today I met my match.

I need to take my FLIR (gen 1) apart and either power cycle the battery or replace it. Much to my amazement it requires a tool beyond my reach. It looks like a Torx 6 security bit, aka "tamper resistant". The smallest I have is ST7, and that does not fit. I have regular T all the way down to 4. (and I've seen down to 2) My current sets include an older set from iFixit and a similar set from Wiha, as well as a few individual special 4mm ("micro") bits for pentalobe and trlobe.

So where's a good place to get individual micro bits? And hopefully for significantly less than the cost of a whole new set? iFixit looks to have their newer 64 piece sets (mine's an older 54pc) that does include ST6 but the T's only go down to 5. I've seen other sets and drivers that have down to T2 and ST4 but am not having any luck with just getting bits, and THOSE sets are very expensive.

Is TR6 Torx Security Screwdriver - iFixit your guy? (It did take some doing to find it!)

after a ridiculous amount of digging:

T5 Security Torx:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142549642884
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kGUAAOSwt0tZe02Y/s-l500.jpg

T6 Security Torx:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/322475002072

T3 through T10, (7+ being security) PLUS two sizes below T3:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/322449844391
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hzsAAOSwFqNZScKO/s-l1600.jpg

I saw some of the little drivers like you ran into, I'm looking for something that fits into my hand as I'm not five years old and tend to fumble itty bitty drivers like that. It's also hard to keep the right amount of force on them while using them and that risks stripping the screw head if it's stuck. (been there, done that, REALLY not fun)

Funny I could not find either model in both T5 and T6...

And here is the unicorn.... a full set of 4mm "micro bits" that go T3-T20, with security starting at T6:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332344579438
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2asAAOSwHptZABxq/s-l1600.jpg

I will have to wait for those, but I can use them to supplement my good ifixit driver set and nice ratcheting super-grippy driver I got from another set. (because the handled driver from ifixit has terrible ergonomics, as do MOST other 4mm drivers)

And I like that seller.... he's selling what looks like my iFixit 54 bit set for an insanely low price. If you don't have one of these, GET IT.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332275083454
if you like tools, his limited offering has a lot of interesting items worth browsing over.

I was unable to find a T5H (T5 with hole in it) in a 4mm bit, and not able to find T4 or smaller in security form at all.

FYI nothing beats Wiha for ergonomic driver sets, and they have great small phillis and torx sets, but they don't seem to carry ANY security torx.

And wow, MCM Electronics is now owned by Newark Electronics. I think that's where I got my micro ratchet from but can't find it on their new cluster of a website.

Nor am I a big fan of the things, but sometimes I've got no option other than to grit my teeth and exercise care and patience faaar beyond my natural inclination.


Thanks for the tip! I wasn't even considering buying tools, but as you said...insanely low price, and although I don't particularly need it at the moment, I can certainly use it. (I like the idea that it ships from TX, not China.) I hope the quality is up to snuff. (Is it the same as your iFixit set? The bits aren't 4mm.)

I didn't see the limited offering; please post a link.

Well that "57 piece" set is "photo identical" to my iFixit 54 bit (plus 3 accessories, technically 4 but he neglected to count the extension) set and he never shows the front of it where the label is so who knows it may be ifixit old stock. I paid about $38 for mine awhile back and I think they are selling that one now at ifixit.com for $25 because they have a few larger sets now for sale, so this is a great deal. They most definitely are 4mm, that's a very common "micro bit" size and I have bought several other sets for very cheap prices to obtain odd accessory bits such as pentalobe, they all mix and match very nicely except for the sets that have "double ended" bits. My only issue then is where to / how to carry the extra bits in that case. And the driver I use will definitely NOT fit in that case. It's a nice large rubbery good grip with a big smooth spinner on back and a built in ratchet. Was sold by MCM ages ago and I haven't seen anything like it since. That little aluminum driver from ifixit works, and the extension and dual purpose t-bar are very useful at time but isn't terribly comfortable or grippy and is a bit small.

As for "other stuff", with ebay you can usually either click on the store icon OR the sellers other items for sale. He doesn't really hvae a storefront but you can go here for his items for sale, I think he has about 58 listings right now.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/flexsteel888/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Thanks.

I misread...they are 4mm, and I was looking for a specific "limited offering" link.

I bought a 9 bit set a while ago for about $9 just to get a #00 Phillips driver, so this set is definitely a great value.

iFixit got back to me and gave me some useful information, including this link that I wasn't able to find myself on their website:

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/iFixit-4-mm-Screwdriver-Bit/IF145-357-71

it allows you to order 4mm bits a la carte to fill out your sets that are older or have lost or worn out / damaged a bit.

They carry security torx down to T6 in 4mm bits and drivers, and bits (non security) down to something silly like T2.

I found that link, but purely by accident.

Perspective: Three of the bits didn't fit in the driver, and (after fully refunding my $11.99 + shipping) rather than either shipping me new ones or paying for return shipping for the set, they're apparently writing it off....haven't sent me a return label in almost two weeks.

Not only are the driver's ergonomics truly awful, but the swivel/bearing arrangement at the top is awfully cheesy. (If it's old iFixit stock, it's not obvious...Indian sounding name.)

The torque bar, on the other hand, is a neat idea; I can see it being extremely useful with a least some of the bit varieties.