fietsbog, I don't think that works. On the drive side, the crank goes CW, and in order to stay flat, pedal is moving CCW, so bearings are going CW, so tiny rotational pressure on the axle would be CCW, which would loosen the pedals.

I like the idea of "the point of highest pressure in the threads will wander around in a counter-clockwise direction". I can almost wrap my mind around that.

So if you have threaded a screw into wood, and you have greasy fingers, and you hold the head of the screw and wiggle it in a small CCW, it will eventually screw in?