Easing a wooden thread with graphite

[Philip Davies]

Experienced difficulty undoing this awl, but after leaving it a couple of hours on the radiator, and then easing it gradually anti- and clockwise, back and to, I was relieved to undo it fully - and have now applied graphite, which is usually for locks.

[bruce.desertrat]

Maybe hit the threads lightly with some beeswax, too. I did that with a sticky wooden screw-top jar and it worked.