Stripped screw rescue: what actually worked, ranked

Cam-ed out a screw so badly this weekend it was basically a rivet. Tried everything the internet suggested, results below. Wide rubber band between driver and screw head: worked on the first, mildly stripped one. Free, try it first. Tapping the driver into the head with a hammer for a fresh bite: worked on the medium one. Screw extractor bit set: the nuclear option, worked on the disaster screw, cost $15. The real lesson, learned 20 minutes after I needed it as per tradition: use the right size bit, press HARD into the screw, and let the driver do the turning. Cheap worn bits strip screws. Good screws with bad bits become bad screws.

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sump_pump_sam@sump_pump_sam· 7/7/2026, 11:21:37 PM

All correct. I'll add: with an impact driver and proper bits you almost never strip anything, the impact action keeps the bit seated. Changed my life more than any single tool.

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OttomanEmpire@ottomanempire· 7/8/2026, 3:51:37 AM

The rubber band trick has saved me three times on old furniture screws with mangled slots. Also for antique flathead screws: a properly fitted flathead bit, not the closest one in the drawer. Ask me how I know.

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