Part of that is probably because we’ve gotten so good at making them that they’re seen as cheap commodities, but the physics and engineering behind the screw thread is interesting stuff.

Head: The top of the screw, which includes the drive. Shank: The smooth area of the fastener between the head and the thread. Screw types vary and some screws do not have a smooth shank.

We’ve all been there – that last stubborn screw, the one thing between you and some real progress on a repair or restoration. It’s stuck tight with thread-locking fluid, and using more ...