Not at home to take pictures right now but I've encountered a 7 spline screw head. Not sure if there's a more appropriate name used for it or not. It is inside a satellite receiver and is holding the circuit boards to the aluminum housing.

Does anyone have any ideas on what these are called or what tool I need to remove them? (Obviously I could use destructive means but I would like to find a non-destructive means if available, good excuse to buy new tools.) I have found various car related sockets but they are too big. I also found some carburetor adjustment tools but I think they may also be too big.

Anyways, I'll try to get some pictures this evening but if anyone has ideas before then please share.

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Here to learn more so I can recycle more
My grades are my own opinion and not an official grade from Boardsort

Without a photo my first guess is a 7 point star. Most technical sets have the bits in them.

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A photo will help. I'll get it this evening.

Aside from having 7 points it's like someone stuck a torx bit on top.

_________________
Here to learn more so I can recycle more
My grades are my own opinion and not an official grade from Boardsort

Pictures

_________________
Here to learn more so I can recycle more
My grades are my own opinion and not an official grade from Boardsort

They are called security star screws. If you’ve ever been to Asia you’ll have seen them in toilets too.
In the US you find them in anything that is expensive and rented out, satellite, cable boxes… rental companies like RaC and GoRent and Rent2Own swap the standard security screws for them too.

Any “security” set has driver bits. Most tech sets do too.

Honestly, grab an extractor screw/bolt bit from Amazon for $10 and never worry again about random crap.
They’re a 3/4 inch socket but with dozens of pins that retract against tension springs. I’ve used them to pull out even nails from wood and concrete, and pull broken spades from electrical outlets.

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I still can't find anything that would be small enough to handle these so may have to go the extractor route.

_________________
Here to learn more so I can recycle more
My grades are my own opinion and not an official grade from Boardsort

You’re looking for a small version of this

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