100 Objects #6: 'Sharpened Screwdriver'

In this installment of the 100 Objects series, 99% Invisible explores how the ordinary screwdriver was reimagined as a deadly weapon in prison lore and popular culture. The episode traces the origins of the myth of the sharpened screwdriver, investigating whether it ever actually existed as a widespread shank or if it was primarily a product of fear and storytelling. Through historical anecdotes and cultural analysis, the show examines why this particular object captured the imagination and what that reveals about our perception of tools and threat.