Had a chewed-up M3 in a desk hinge — laid a thick broccoli rubber band over it and turned with a manual driver, popped right out in 10 seconds… Any other scrappy ways you use to grab tiny stripped screws when you don’t have extractors handy?
I’ve had good luck pressing a slightly oversized Torx bit into a stripped Phillips — ‘seat the bit with a firm tap’ and then use slow, steady pressure and it usually bites. Just brace the hinge so you don’t cam out and make it worse; was yours Loctited at all?
@OP Try “a dab of valve grinding compound” (toothpaste in a pinch) on the driver tip, press down, and turn slow — it adds grit so the bit bites, like chalk on climbing hands. If that doesn’t do it, a tiny drop of CA glue between bit and head, wait a minute, then twist, but mask the hinge and keep acetone ready to release.
@OP Tiny gel superglue between bit and M3 head; hold 60s, then slow twist with manual driver.