HandleThe part you grip. It may be wood, plastic or metal.
ShankThe steel rod between the handle and the blade.
BladeThe flattened end of the shank. It ends in the tip.
TipThe hardened end of the blade. It fits into the screw.
Three tips 3
Standard tipA flat tip for a screw with one straight slot.
Cross tipShaped like a cross, for a screw with two crossed slots.
Clutch head tipA tip for clutch head screws, also called butterfly or figure-eight screws.
Four kinds 4
Offset screwdriverIts blades are bent at right angles, for screws in tight corners.
Ratchet screwdriverIt turns a screw without being lifted out after each turn.
Jeweler's screwdriverA small screwdriver for very small screws. The end cap swivels.
Screwdriver bitA blade with a shaped shank, turned by another tool.
How this list was compiled: Every name checked on 2026-09-30 and kept only where at least two of these use it. (1) US Navy, Tools and Their Uses (1971), full text at https://archive.org/details/ERIC_ED132362 : the three main parts of a standard screwdriver are the handle, the shank and the blade; the tip of the blade is hardened; standard, recessed, offset and ratchet screwdrivers. (2) US Army, TM 9-243, Use and Care of Hand Tools and Measuring Tools (1983), full text at https://archive.org/details/use-and-care-of-hand-tools-and-measuring-tools-1983 : common, cross-tip, clutch head, offset, ratchet and jeweler's screwdrivers and screwdriver bits; blades and tips. (3) Wikipedia, Screwdriver and List of screw drives, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screwdriver and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_screw_drives : a handle and a shaft (shank) ending in a tip; slotted, cross and clutch drives; offset, ratchet and jeweler's screwdrivers; bits. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30 from plain geometry; no maker's tool, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
A standard screwdriver has three main parts: the handle, the shank and the blade. The blade ends in the tip. The second view shows three tips and the third shows four kinds of screwdriver.
Read the full guide
Handle to tip
The handle is the part you grip. The shank is the steel rod that comes out of it. The end of the shank is flattened into the blade, and the blade ends in the tip, which fits the screw.
Tips and kinds
A standard tip is flat and fits a single slot. A cross tip fits two slots that cross at the center. A clutch head tip fits a recess shaped like a bow tie. An offset screwdriver has its blades bent at right angles, a ratchet screwdriver turns a screw without being lifted out, and a jeweler's screwdriver is for very small screws.
Tip is the name of the end. Blade is the name of the whole flattened part.
Questions and answers
What are the parts of a screwdriver called?
A standard screwdriver has three main parts. The handle is the part you grip, the shank is the steel rod that comes out of the handle, and the blade is the flattened end. The very end of the blade is the tip.
What is the metal part of a screwdriver called?
The rod is the shank, also called the shaft. Its flattened end is the blade.
What is the tip with a cross called?
A cross tip, also written cross-tip or cross-head. It fits a screw with two slots that cross at the center. Most people know it by its maker's name, and the quiz takes that name too.
What is a screwdriver bit?
A screwdriver blade with a square, six-sided or notched shank and no handle of its own. It is made to be turned by another tool.