Small screws can break off during installation, especially if you are working with hardwood such as mahogany. A pilot hole should always be drilled prior to attempting to drive screws into hardwoods to avoid breaking a screw. However, screws sometimes break even when a pilot hole has been drilled. A broken screw can be removed in a variety of ways, depending on the circumstances of the break.
Insert the screw extractor bit into the screw gun if you plan to use a screw extractor. Place the bit over the broken screw. Screw down into the wood to a depth just below the screw tip. The screw extractor bit has teeth on the end of a tube. It will remove a plug of wood around the screw. The hole in the wood can be patched with a dowel.
Repair the area where the screw has been removed with a dowel if you used a screw extractor and putty if you used a chisel and pliers. Apply glue to the dowel and insert it into the hole. Allow the glue to dry and sand flush. Apply putty to the chiseled area and hole. Allow it to dry and sand flush.