A metal insert having a body at a base diameter, a plurality of retention regions spaced apart and extending radially from the body, and an end effector at one end, for engaging a mating member. Each retention region consists of a circumferential series of alternating prongs and recesses. The insert is manufactured by selecting or processing a solid raw bar to produce an engineered rod having a plurality of axially continuous protrusions at a protrusion diameter alternating circumferentially with a plurality of axially continuous channels at a channel diameter. At axial intervals, the diameter of the engineered rod is decreased with a form tool to a base diameter smaller than the channel diameter, thereby producing a featured rod having a series of axially alternating spacer regions at the base diameter and radially outwardly extending feature regions consisting of a circumferential series of alternating prongs and recesses.