I see knobs like this on cabinets, dressers, and closet doors. They are held in place with a single wood screw.

Very often they are loose. I guess when we grab them we often impart a slight twist. Also, temperature and humidity changes cause the wood to swell and shrink. The system is biased towards unscrewing, so over time they loosen up.

My DIY instinct says that this is bad. That the screw will strip out the knob, or it will ream out the hole in the door. Well, it seems sloppy.

When I notice one, I give it a twist to tighten. Sometimes I put my finger over the screw head to hold it still. When it's really stiff, I might get out the multitool. Sometimes, in my enthusiasm, I strip out the knob. Doh!

What's the best way to deal with these things? For example:

• Use handles that take two screws.

• Put a washer under the head to distribute the load, then make them really tight.

• Keep them all tight according to a schedule.

• Only use knobs made of strong wood, and keep them tight.

• Use knobs that take a machine screw instead of a wood screw.

• Put wood glue in the screw hole.

• Use door designs that don't need a handle.