A bent screw won’t back out the way it went in, so you need to change your approach. The right method depends on how much of the screw is sticking up above the surface and whether the head is still intact. In most cases, you can get it out with basic tools you already own.
If the Screw Head Is Still Exposed
When part of the bent screw is sticking up above the surface, locking pliers (often sold as Vise-Grips) are your fastest option. Grip the screw on its sides, not the top, and twist it gently left and right to work it loose. This rocking motion gradually breaks the grip of the threads without snapping the screw shaft. Once you feel it start to give, slowly turn it counterclockwise while pulling upward.
A standard screwdriver often won’t work here because the bend changes the angle of the screw head relative to the surface. The driver bit can’t seat properly, and you’ll just strip what’s left of the slot or Phillips cross. Pliers bypass this problem entirely by grabbing the shaft or the head’s outer edges instead.
Cutting a New Slot
If the screw head is mangled or the bend makes it hard to grip, you can create a fresh slot for a flathead screwdriver. A cordless rotary tool (like a Dremel) with a reinforced cutting disc works well for this. Cut a straight line across the top of the screw head, about 1 to 2 millimeters deep. This gives a flathead screwdriver enough purchase to turn the screw out. The cutting disc is small enough to work precisely without chewing up the surrounding material.
Using a Screw Extractor
For screws that are bent and stuck, or where the head has broken off entirely, a screw extractor set is the dedicated tool for the job. These are reverse-threaded bits that dig into the screw as you turn them counterclockwise, essentially drilling into the screw while simultaneously unscrewing it.
The process has two steps. First, drill a small pilot hole into the center of the broken or bent screw using a standard drill bit. Then insert the extractor into that hole, apply firm downward pressure, and turn counterclockwise. The extractor’s reverse threads bite into the metal and back the screw out. Extractor sets are sized to match screw diameters. For screws in the 5 to 8mm range, you’ll pre-drill with a 3.5mm bit and use a number 1 extractor. For 10mm screws, step up to a 5mm pre-drill and a number 2 extractor. Larger screws up to 20mm need proportionally bigger pilot holes and extractor sizes up to number 6.
Go slowly when drilling the pilot hole. If the screw is bent, it’s already under stress, and aggressive drilling can snap it off below the surface, which makes the job significantly harder.
Loosening a Stuck, Bent Screw
A bent screw is often also a stuck screw, especially in metal or outdoor applications where rust has bonded the threads in place. Before you try any removal method, soaking the screw with penetrating oil can save you a lot of effort. Spray it on and wait at least 30 minutes before your first attempt. If the screw doesn’t budge, reapply and wait another 30 minutes. Multiple applications work better than one long soak because the oil creeps a little deeper each time it’s refreshed.
For metal-to-metal joints where rust is serious, heat can break the bond. The idea is to heat the material surrounding the screw (not the screw itself) so it expands and loosens its grip on the threads. A small propane torch works for this. Start with moderate heat and try turning the screw while the surrounding metal is still warm. If it doesn’t move, heat it again a little more aggressively. You can make this even more effective by heating the area and then touching the screw head with an ice cube. The sudden temperature difference causes the screw to contract while the surrounding material is still expanded, breaking the corrosion seal.
Be careful with heat near anything flammable. Rubber boots, brake lines, plastic components, and paint can all be damaged or ignited. Work incrementally rather than blasting the area with maximum heat on the first try.
Using Impact to Break It Free
A manual impact driver looks like a fat screwdriver that you hit with a hammer. When you strike the end, an internal spring-and-hammer mechanism converts that downward force into rotational force. It’s like swinging a hammer against a wrench, delivering far more torque in a single blow than you could apply by hand. The sharp vibration also helps crack corrosion bonds on the threads.
Manual impact drivers are particularly useful for bent screws that still have an intact head. Place the correct bit in the driver, set it to the “remove” direction, hold it firmly against the screw, and strike the back end with a hammer. Each hit delivers a short, powerful burst of turning force. This works well on screws that are frozen in place because the impact breaks the static friction that makes the first movement the hardest part.
When the Screw Breaks Below the Surface
If a bent screw snaps during removal and the broken end sits below the surface, your options narrow. A screw extractor can still work if you can drill a centered pilot hole into the remaining shaft. This requires a steady hand and ideally a center punch to mark the exact middle of the broken screw before drilling.
For metal applications, welding a nut onto the broken stub is a reliable last resort. Slide a washer over the broken screw first to protect the surrounding surface from accidental weld splatter. Center a nut (slightly larger than the screw diameter) over the stub and weld it in place. Filling the space between the nut and stub with welding wire creates a stronger bond and gives you a bigger nut to grip with a wrench. This technique works even when the break is slightly below the surface: place a washer over the hole, fill the recess with weld material, then weld the nut on top of the mound.
Why Screws Bend in the First Place
Understanding why the screw bent helps you avoid the same problem on the next one. The most common cause is driving a screw into material that’s too dense without a pilot hole. The screw hits a hard spot, like a knot in wood or a denser layer in metal, and deflects sideways. Over-torquing with a power driver makes this worse because the screw is spinning too fast to self-correct.
Misalignment during installation also causes bending. If the screw enters at even a slight angle, lateral forces build as it goes deeper, eventually deforming the shaft. For longer screws in hardwood or metal, always drill a pilot hole that’s slightly narrower than the screw’s core diameter (the shaft minus the threads). This gives the threads something to grip while the shaft travels straight. In metal work, ensuring proper alignment with a punch mark or guide can prevent the bit from wandering and putting uneven stress on the fastener.