A fastener having a head portion with a recessed socket area extending into the head portion and a shank sharing a longitudinal axis with the recessed socket area, comprising: a sidewall defining the recessed socket area having a top edge and a bottom edge; and a plurality of driving surfaces and removal surfaces disposed along the sidewall, wherein: an upper section of the sidewall tapers inwardly towards the longitudinal axis between about one degree and about three and three-fifths degrees from the top edge to a curvilinear transition line; and a lower section of the sidewall forms a vertical surface relative to the longitudinal axis and is disposed between the curvilinear transition line and the bottom edge, wherein: the lower section of the sidewall is offset in the clockwise direction from the upper section of the sidewall by a rotation of between one degree and six degrees causing the curvilinear transition line to vary along a length of the plurality of driving surfaces and removal surfaces between the top edge and the bottom edge; and a driving surface of the lower section of the sidewall at the bottom edge is aligned with a driving surface of the upper section of the sidewall to form a vertical line of insertion extending from the top edge to the bottom edge. a sidewall defining the recessed socket area having a top edge and a bottom edge; and a plurality of driving surfaces and removal surfaces disposed along the sidewall, wherein: an upper section of the sidewall tapers inwardly towards the longitudinal axis between about one degree and about three and three-fifths degrees from the top edge to a curvilinear transition line; and a lower section of the sidewall forms a vertical surface relative to the longitudinal axis and is disposed between the curvilinear transition line and the bottom edge, wherein: the lower section of the sidewall is offset in the clockwise direction from the upper section of the sidewall by a rotation of between one degree and six degrees causing the curvilinear transition line to vary along a length of the plurality of driving surfaces and removal surfaces between the top edge and the bottom edge; and a driving surface of the lower section of the sidewall at the bottom edge is aligned with a driving surface of the upper section of the sidewall to form a vertical line of insertion extending from the top edge to the bottom edge. an upper section of the sidewall tapers inwardly towards the longitudinal axis between about one degree and about three and three-fifths degrees from the top edge to a curvilinear transition line; and a lower section of the sidewall forms a vertical surface relative to the longitudinal axis and is disposed between the curvilinear transition line and the bottom edge, wherein: the lower section of the sidewall is offset in the clockwise direction from the upper section of the sidewall by a rotation of between one degree and six degrees causing the curvilinear transition line to vary along a length of the plurality of driving surfaces and removal surfaces between the top edge and the bottom edge; and a driving surface of the lower section of the sidewall at the bottom edge is aligned with a driving surface of the upper section of the sidewall to form a vertical line of insertion extending from the top edge to the bottom edge. the lower section of the sidewall is offset in the clockwise direction from the upper section of the sidewall by a rotation of between one degree and six degrees causing the curvilinear transition line to vary along a length of the plurality of driving surfaces and removal surfaces between the top edge and the bottom edge; and a driving surface of the lower section of the sidewall at the bottom edge is aligned with a driving surface of the upper section of the sidewall to form a vertical line of insertion extending from the top edge to the bottom edge.