Hey everyone, I'm new and was going to post a question pretty much like this but figured it may be preferred for me to post in this existing thread. I'd appreciate if people would refrain from answering with "Take it to a jewelry or watch counter." I've read about people taking their vintage Tamas around to multiple such places without luck, and sometimes with them even stripping the screws. Even aside from that, I'm simply hoping to get my hands on the perfect screwdriver to have at home for my Tamas.
A little bit about my situation... I recently got back into (classic) Tamas and I acquired a few vintage Tamagotchis as well as a few of the original-style re-released ones. I have activated one vintage Tama so far. My plan was to replace the batteries before removing the pull tab to activate it, but I was only able to get one screw out (I was using a Phillips screwdriver), which took some effort, and then as a family member and I were trying to work on the even more difficult second screw, I accidentally pulled out the pull tab. And to my surprise, it activated! So, currently, this Tama is running on its original batteries from the '90s.
Eventually, of course, I will have to get that other screw out (I'm hoping I haven't stripped it but can't be sure of that), and I would like to also open up the other couple of new-in-box vintage Tamas I got. I read somewhere that a JIS #0 screwdriver is the correct screwdriver for these, so I went on a quest for such a screwdriver, which was easier said than done. I ordered a 4-screwdriver JIS set at Tooldiscounter.com, specifically
this set (click me). Although it lists #0 as one of the sizes, none of these screwdrivers are labeled #0. They are instead labeled 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, and 4.0 mm. I noticed they say JIS Type S, and I'm not sure if that's different than just JIS. I tried using the couple of smaller ones on one of my vintage Tamas to no avail (not the afore-mentioned Tama with the one stubborn screw), but I only tried kind of briefly because I'm scared of damaging/stripping the screws.
I noticed someone above mentioned they've used a 2.2 mm screwdriver. I'm not sure what type of screwdriver that is, though? Excuse my ignorance about tools.
Before I try harder to use these screwdrivers on my poor Tamas, is anyone here able to shed some light on whether one of these screwdrivers in my set (based on the mm labeling) is the same as a JIS #0, or whether JIS Type S is different than regular "JIS"? Alternatively, is anyone able to provide a link to get a specific screwdriver you got and successfully used for your vintage Tamas?
By the way, I also tried a little eyeglass screwdriver thing that a family member had -- to no avail.
Additional question: Kinda related, for my future knowledge, can anyone tell me what screwdriver to use for the re-release Gen 1 & Gen 2 original-style Tamas? I gather JIS screws aren't used anymore, if I'm not mistaken. So Phillips?
