🔍 Key Concepts

• How a hand die follows the first threads it cuts • What happens if the die is not square (perpendicular) to the workpiece when you start • The difference between thread shape, alignment, and roundness of the work

💭 Think About

• When you start a die at an angle, what path will the cutting edges follow as you continue to turn it? • Will the die usually bend the workpiece out of round, or will it more likely follow the tilted starting position? • Think about whether a misaligned start can "self-correct" after a few turns, or if it tends to lock in the original error.

✅ Before You Answer

• Distinguish between crooked (misaligned) threads and out-of-round work • Ask yourself if rough/weak threads are the main effect or just a possible side effect of the real problem • Consider whether a hand die has any built‑in way to straighten itself once it has started cutting at an angle