Spin a Pencil Around Your Middle Finger
Sure, you might already know a few people who can spin a pencil around their thumbs. You might even be able to do it yourself, but here's something that will make you stand out in the thumb spinning crowd: spinning a pencil vertically around your middle finger. Let the "oohs" and "aahs" commence.
Contents
Steps
Executing the Spin
- Hold the pencil in pre-flip position. Place the tip on your pointer finger, the midsection resting on the tip of your middle finger, your thumb on top between those two fingers, and the fingernail of your ring finger touching the inside of the pencil. Got it? Cool.
- The pencil will feel as if it's dangling by the tips of your fingers, and this is necessary to do the flip. Your hand should be relaxed and loose at this point, too. It'll feel a little precarious, but that's how the pencil's going to get around and around.
- Stiffen your ring finger, shooting it backwards. Part of the initial thrust will be from your ring finger as it straightens out, sending the pen around your middle finger. You may find that your pinky finger immediately follows suit, too. Don't mind the pinky – it tends to do its own thing.
- This is only part of the entire picture. You can practice this movement, but it won't be perfect until you line up the rest of your fingers and put them to work, too.
- Get your pointer finger and thumb out of the way. Let's cover them each separately:
- The pencil was resting on the pad of your pointer finger. As you go to thrust it around your middle finger, simple extend it outward, taking it off the pencil. You'll need it for the landing, but for the initial thrust, just get it out of the way.
- Your thumb, on the other hand, should slide down the pencil toward the tip. When it lifts up, this is the release of the tip of the pencil, with your ring finger propelling the base. These two movements are what gets it around your middle finger. Just like your pointer finger, the thumb comes off for the initial flip around and then will be there to catch it in motion.
- Bring your middle finger forward once the pencil has started its flip. Once the thumb releases the tip and the ring finger propels the pencil back, bring your middle finger toward you, bending it ever-so-slightly forward. This allows your pointer finger and thumb to catch it as it comes around.
- This is a very small movement. If you move it too much, the pen will just go flying – and your teacher won't be thrilled with you.
- Catch it with your thumb. As the pencil rotates around your middle finger and comes around full circle, stop it with your thumb. As the thumb stops it, bring up your pointer finger to catch it from the bottom. And there you have it – that's one entire spin for the record books.
- Keep spinning or end the trick. When you catch the pen as it comes around, return your fingers to the pre-flip position. Then, it's practice, practice, practice.
- When the pencil spins all the way around the middle finger, it should land right in the skin between index finger and thumb. At the same time it lands, grip the pencil with any finger and any part of your thumb. The pencil should be able to land in the writing position or something similar to it. This is a good transition to end the trick.
Perfecting Your Technique
- Start out slow. As you're learning to do this, start out as if you're doing it in slow motion. Guide the pencil around your middle finger as much as you have to – it'll help you see the basics of it. Then, as you get better and better, start speeding up. It just takes practice and time.
- You'll notice that when you go slow, you'll have to use your pointer finger to prop it up and get it to your thumb. This is the main difference between going slow and going fast. When you go fast, the pencil has enough power to not need your pointer finger to keep it going.
- Once you get the hang of it, try doing it without holding the pencil against the thumb flap. This helps for performing the "Harmonic" and linking this trick into combos; it disrupts the flow if you must adjust the pencil against your thumb every time you need to perform this trick.
- Experiment with different pens and pencils. Sometimes a certain weight or length of pen or pencil just doesn't mesh with your spinning style. If the one you're working with currently is difficult to do, try a different one. You may be surprised that it had more to do with your tool and less to do with you.
- Pencils are long and spindly and that can make it difficult for spinning. Imagine if your arms were seven feet long and you had to spin around something, you know? You may want to switch to a pen that's shorter and a little beefier – it may give you something to grab a hold of.
- Go for the double spin. Once you have the hang of this, try starting the pencil in between your pinky and ring finger. Using the same steps, spin the pencil around your ring finger and catch it between your middle and ring fingers. You will now be set up to spin it around your middle finger – the double spin will give it a cool effect. You can even spin your pencil from the pinky/ring finger to the middle/pointer finger!
- Learning how to perform this trick backwards (from index/middle slot to the middle/ring slot) is a good idea too, because you can then perform this trick back-and forth continuously. This is then called the "Middle Around Harmonic."
- Try different spins. This spin in particular is good for class. Since it's stopped by your thumb, you don't run the risk of the pen spiraling out of control and landing in your class fish tank. That being said, this may not be the spin for you. Have you ever tried spinning a pencil around your thumb? How about spinning a pencil backwards around your thumb? There's quite a few ways to do it.
Tips
- Always make sure your fingers aren't too tight, or else the pencil will fly into the air, sometimes spinning wildly.
- As you improve with skill, move your middle finger less and less. Eventually there will be almost no noticeable motion except the pencil.
- Practice this trick during your free time or while watching television.
- Modify the strength used for the trick. The way described above may work for some but not for others.
- After completing the spin, place the pencil back into the starting position with the other hand, if you find it difficult to do it with only the one hand.
- This trick is professionally referred to as the "Middle Around."
- Place a tablecloth on the table to keep the pencil from bouncing off the table and falling to the floor.
Warnings
- If the pencil flies into the air while spinning, it may hit someone around you as well as yourself. Do not use too much force when "snapping" the pencil. The "snap" should be effortless.
- If you decide to do this with a pen, be sure to keep the cap on. Ink from some pens tends to fling from the pen during the spin.
- A retractable mechanical or unsharpened pencil will lessen the chance of injury.
Things You'll Need
- A pencil, either mechanical or unsharpened wooden pencil.
