Have you ever seen someone in class or at work expertly twisting a pencil around his or her thumb? Have you ever wondered how to easily do this cool trick yourself? The steps required to rotate the pencil around the thumb are actually easy to understand, but hard to master. With lots of practice, you'll soon be able to spin your pencil like a baton (the little stick the conductor uses to give cues)! See step 1 below to get started.
Step
Step 1. Hold the pencil between your index finger, middle finger, and thumb
Hold the pencil in your dominant hand (right hand, if you are right-handed). Your index and middle fingers should be about the width of your thumb. In other words, if the pencil isn't there, then your thumb should be able to fit fairly freely between your index and middle fingers.
There are different opinions about which part of the pencil should be gripped. Some prefer to hold the pencil in the center, which is close to their center of gravity, but others prefer to focus their grip on the tip of the pencil. The choice is up to you. Experiment to see which position you find easier
Step 2. Pull with the middle finger like a trigger
In this trick, the middle finger provides the most force to rotate the pencil. While holding the pencil between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger as described above, pull or flick your middle finger inward as if pulling the trigger of a gun. Ideally, this will cause the pencil to start spinning around the thumb. If you're having trouble turning the pencil around your thumb, check your grip again. If your middle finger and thumb are too close to each other, you're more likely to pull the pencil toward your thumb instead of twisting it around your thumb.
It is rather difficult to determine the exact magnitude of the thrust when moving the middle finger. A push that is too big will cause the pencil to float, but if it's too small it won't rotate around the thumb. With practice, this push will get better. Over time, you will be able to estimate how much force it will take to make the pencil spin "properly"
Step 3. Rotate your wrist to help rotate the pencil around your thumb
At first, beginners usually have difficulty rotating the pencil. They often have difficulty getting the pencil to rotate completely around the thumb. To make it easier, try to twist your wrist when pushing with your middle finger. Gently rotate your wrist (as if you were turning a round doorknob) away from your body as you "pull." This gives the pencil additional momentum, and as an added advantage, will help keep your fingers out of the way the pencil is spinning.
Step 4. Keep your fingers out of the way so they don't get in the way of the pencil spinning
When learning how to rotate a pencil, it's important to be aware of the position of your fingers after the initial "pull" of the middle finger. One common mistake among beginners is to unknowingly block the path of the pencil's rotation with the index or middle finger. There are several techniques for keeping your fingers out of the way of the pencil spinning, and here are two of them:
- After the initial "pull," slide your index and middle fingers in so that they are under the thumb joint. The pencil should rotate around your thumb over your fingers.
- Fold the middle finger inward at the joint closest to the hand and simultaneously move the index finger as far as it will go. Your middle finger should be resting with the inside of the joint on the thumb. The spinning pencil should not hit the extension of your index finger.
Step 5. Catch the pencil
The most impressive part of spinning the pencil isn't always the spinning of the pencil itself, but the fact that the person spinning the pencil can easily catch the pencil and repeat the trick over and over. Once you're able to spin the pencil, practice "catching" the pencil without slipping. After one turn, aim the pencil stroke to the side of the middle finger. When touching your middle finger, use your thumb and index finger to hold the pencil from opposite sides.
Step 6. Practice, practice, and practice
At first, turning the pencil will obviously feel awkward and difficult. However, as with any other skill (such as riding a bicycle or doing a trick with your hands), over time, the movements in this trick will become natural, making it even more difficult to twist the pencil the wrong way. As you practice, experiment with different grips, techniques and angles until you find the right combination.
For additional practice, once you have mastered this trick with your dominant hand, try using the other hand
Tips
- If you're having trouble getting the hang of it, try to make sure that your thumb is flat. Because this is where the pencil or pen rotates. Obviously you don't want the pen to roll the other way.
- If using an unbalanced pen, hold it by the heavier end.
- When the pencil/pen rotates, the balance point of the pencil should be in the middle of the thumb.
- Keep in mind that you won't want to flick the pencil. Folding (doing a push with) your middle finger should cause the pencil to roll away. If the pencil moves without touching the back of your thumb, you are flicking it.
- This method will be more successful if done with a longer pencil.
- Once you've mastered how to twist the pencil around your thumb, you can try rotating it the other way around! This will return the pencil to its original position. Check out the wikiHow article (in English) to find out how.
- Practice rotating the longer pencil first, then improve by rotating the shorter pencil.
- Once you start pushing, try moving your thumb so that there is more space between your thumb and hand. This will create more space for the pen to move around.
- The pencil should make constant contact with the skin between the thumb nail and the joint. If the pencil touches the joint, it means that you are not fast enough when you fold your middle finger. If the pencil touches the nail, you are holding the pencil in the wrong position (the rotation should start from the center of the thumb, with the bottom of the pencil at the bottom of the nail. The pencil will shift slightly as it rotates).
- It helps to think of the thrust as a loop around the thumb, as its base.
Warning
- Make sure not to use a sharp pencil.
- Be careful not to get into your eyes or the eyes of others.
- When folding your middle finger back, don't push too hard. Barely any force is required to spin the pencil.
- Using a pencil that has not been sharpened is better for starters, to avoid the occurrence of the pencil piercing the hand.
