31-03-2018, 07:50 PM
(31-03-2018, 04:48 PM)DavidL Wrote: If I was putting a brass screw into hardwood I'd put a steel one in first, take it out, then put the brass one in. Doesn't seem like a faff as using "proper screws" is such a rare treat now rather than the modern super sharp pozi drive types.
Does (did) anyone wax screws before putting them in?
I have a stick of wax in my carpentry box and have had for the last fourty years (renewed from time to time) it's purpose to enable brass and more recently stainless screws to be easily driven into pilot holes. Both are notorious for their brittleness and I always waxed screws that were to be driven into hardwood or even softwood if a break would later be visible. Materials have generally got better over time, however the influx of very poorly manufactured hardware, such as screws is sadly not unknown? It is commonplace for a percentage of posidrive screws in a new box to be without slots in the head, no thread on the shank, bent or otherwise unusable. Joiners and carpenters in my experience generally applied a lubricating agent of some sort.