At 11:56 AM 30/11/2004, various people wrote:
>Robertson is the one labeled "*Square Recess". It has come into vogue
>recently (last 5 years or so in the US) as a finish screw head type.
>Rand E.
>(sometime cabinet maker)
>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>Walt Wayman wrote:
>
> >I never heard of a Robertson fastener until this all got started. Must
> be a closely-kept secret of the Frozen North. I mean, the folks up there
> tend to call a house a hoose and pronounce "about" like one of those
> things I wear one per foot when I go hoofing it off road. No telling
> what they call a good screw.
As I posted somewhat earlier, Robertson screws were invented in Canada
around 1908. Their major advantages are high torque strength, positive
engagement with little danger of spinning out (even better than Philips,
IMNSHO), and the ability to pop a screw onto the screwdriver tip and have
it stay in place while we're positioning it with one hand, holding onto
whatever we're trying to fasten it into with the other. Like having a
magnetic tip.
I'm not sure where the mispronunciation B.S. comes from -- I've never
pronounced "house" like anything else than "howse" or "about" like anything
else but "abowt," and I was born and raised in Central Canada (but now live
in the West, Thank God Almighty ;-) ). I've never *heard* them
pronounced any differently, either, 'cept when our friends to the South
claim we do. My suspicion is that there's an enclave of Cape
Bretoner/Newfoundlander types that interact with the denizens of New
England and produce the, uh, interesting pronunciations in question.
Mind you, some people in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia pronounce
"Capilano" as "Cap-i-LIE-no," and some people in Washington state pronounce
it as "War-shington," and I've heard both mispronunciations with my own
ears, so I s'pose it's not impossible...
Garth
Oh, and we call a good screw various things, such as "After this, the
*neighbours* are gonna need a cigarette!" Also known as a "Typical
Canadian Lay" (making your partner's head explode is considered both
optional and in poor taste). Just what the Hell do you think we practice
during our long winters? 8^>
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|