# Is there a "screw sense" glyph available in some LaTeX package?

I wonder if any LaTeX package provides a glyph for the two screw senses, something like:

and

(compare §II.8 of Schouten: Tensor Analysis for Physicists, Dover 2nd ed., 1989).

I've searched the Comprehensive LaTeX Symbol List for "screw", "right-hand", "gyr", and similar, but found nothing.

Or does anyone have a suggestion to make these symbols easily available? For the moment I'm using the macro \dextro defined as

\newcommand*{\dextro}{\includegraphics[totalheight=\heightof{O}]{screw-sense_posi.png}}


and a similar \laevo as surrogates.

Thank you!

A just-do-it-yourself solution with the hobby TikZlibrary.

If you prefer a rounded tail you can add \filldraw[black] (.1,.85) circle (1.8pt); to the definition of \mydx, as JuoleV pointed out, or use an appropriate node like in \jdx.

For creating the gap, you can use the option [blank=soft], like in \gapdx.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{calc}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{hobby, arrows.meta,bending}

\newcommand*{\dextro}{\includegraphics[totalheight=\heightof{O}]{screw-sense_posi.png}}

\newcommand*{\laevo}{\includegraphics[totalheight=\heightof{O}]{screw-sense_neg.png}}

\newcommand*{\mydx}[1][1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[baseline, xscale=#1]
\draw[black, -{To[angle=90:.3cm 1,length=9mm, flex'=.86]}, line width=4pt] (.1,.85) to [curve through={(.79,.18) .. (1.45,.7) .. (1.2,1.6) .. (.9,1.6) .. (1.9,1.6)}]
(2.1,2.5);
\end{tikzpicture}}

\newcommand*{\jdx}[1][1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[baseline, xscale=#1]
\draw[black, -{To[angle=90:.3cm 1,length=9mm, flex'=.86]}, line width=4pt] (.1,.85) to [curve through={(.79,.18) .. (1.45,.7) .. (1.2,1.6) .. (.9,1.6) .. (1.9,1.6)}]
(2.1,2.5);
\node[circle, minimum width=4pt, fill=black,
inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt] at (.1,.85) {};
\end{tikzpicture}}

\newcommand*{\gapdx}[1][1]{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[baseline, xscale=#1]
\draw[black, -{To[angle=90:.3cm 1,length=9mm, flex'=.86]}, line width=4pt] (.1,.85) to [curve through={(.79,.18) .. (1.45,.7)
(1.48,.8) ..
([blank=soft]1.43,1.4)
.. (1.2,1.6) .. (.9,1.6) .. (1.9,1.6)}]
(2.1,2.5);
\node[circle, minimum width=4pt, fill=black,
inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt] at (.1,.85) {};
\end{tikzpicture}}

\newcommand*{\mydextro}{\resizebox{!}{\heightof{O}}{\mydx}}

\newcommand*{\mylaevo}{\resizebox{!}{\heightof{O}}{\mydx[-1]}}

\newcommand*{\jdextro}{\resizebox{!}{\heightof{O}}{\jdx}}

\newcommand*{\jlaevo}{\resizebox{!}{\heightof{O}}{\jdx[-1]}}

\newcommand*{\gapdextro}{\resizebox{!}{\heightof{O}}{\gapdx}}

\newcommand*{\gaplaevo}{\resizebox{!}{\heightof{O}}{\gapdx[-1]}}

\begin{document}

screw-sense\_posi.png \includegraphics
{screw-sense_posi.png}
screw-sense\_neg.png \includegraphics
{screw-sense_neg.png}

\vspace{10pt}My TikZpictures:

\verb|\mydx|: \mydx
\verb|\mydx[-1]|: \mydx[-1]

\verb|\dextro|: \dextro ~
\verb|\laevo|: \laevo

\vspace{10pt}My commands:
\verb|\mydextro|: \mydextro ~
\verb|\mylaevo|: \mylaevo

\vspace{10pt}Or, if you prefer a rounded tail:

\verb|\jdx|: \jdx
\verb|\jdx[-1]|: \jdx[-1]

\vspace{10pt}\verb|\jdextro|: \jdextro ~
\verb|\jlaevo|: \jlaevo

With gap:
\verb|\gapdx|: \gapdx
\verb|\gapdx[-1]|: \gapdx[-1]

\vspace{10pt}\verb|\gapdextro|: \gapdextro ~
\verb|\gaplaevo|: \gaplaevo

\end{document}


• Amazing as usual! I have one small suggestion: The tail of the symbol should be more rounded, i.e. adding a simple line like \filldraw[black] (.1,.85) circle (1.8pt); to the definition of \mydx.
– user156344
Feb 13 '19 at 7:29
• @JouleV Thanks, I added a rounded version with a node because it appears better on my pdf viewer. Feb 13 '19 at 7:56
• Hi CarLaTeX, this looks great! I have two questions: 1. Regarding compilation time and final file size, is using tikz more convenient than embedding tiny images as I've been doing? 2. In your solution would it be possible to introduce a little gap in the curved arrow, as shown in the updated text of my question? Cheers! Feb 13 '19 at 10:14
• PS: the gap in my pictures is a little too large. The purpose of a little gap, as you probably guessed, is to show more clearly that the final part of the arrow goes above the initial part. Feb 13 '19 at 10:19
• @pglpm For the version of the glyph with the gap, see my renewed answer. Feb 13 '19 at 17:48