Just realized my old boss in Seattle was right about one specific screwdriver
My first boss at the repair shop, Frank, always told me to use a JIS #2 driver for old Nikon F mirror box screws, never a Phillips. I thought it was just him being picky until I stripped a screw on a customer's F2 last month, turning a simple CLA into a real headache. Has anyone else run into this and found a good source for JIS drivers that won't break the bank?
Totally feel your pain. I learned that lesson the hard way on a Pentax Spotmatic. Rounded out a screw so bad I had to drill it. Now I keep a Vessel JIS set in my main kit, got it from a tool site for like thirty bucks. Those old Japanese cameras are full of those sneaky screws. Frank knew his stuff for sure.
It's not just cameras either. My old Yamaha motorcycle had the same JIS screws all over the engine. Stripped a few before I clued in. The worst part is they look almost identical to a Phillips, so you don't know until it's too late. That Vessel set is a lifesaver for anyone tinkering with vintage Japanese gear.