Looking for robust reversible prototyping solutions
I might think that until someone else finds you another solution my answer will be look at what is called VERO Board and Component Sockets. VERO is a manufacturer, but it is now also made in many varieties by others and often it can be found by that term.

It's basically PCB material with 2.54mm (0.1") spaced holes to fit many of the through hole type components without having to bend anything. Then every component has a socket, from the olden days.
DIP sockets, TO92 sockets, etc. 
When bought in bags the sockets or socket strips (20 to 40 pin long strips that you can cut to size to hold chips) are affordable enough at larger distributors or on eBay.

That said, I have to say I have not used reversible engineering in the last 15 years due to a personal lab holding the tools to make double sided surfacemount boards with 8mil (8/1000th inch) size traces and a stock of parts to match. So I am both spoiled and out of the loop. But 20 years ago I started with those sockets and VERO board myself.