How to Spin a Pencil Back Around Your Thumb

just a note... this is a work in progress; the formatting/organization isn't complete yet. This is my first guide, so bear with me while I get everything ironed out.

Throughout high school I've taught many people how to pencil spin, so I think I have a solid idea on how to present these ideas. But If I'm missing something. please let me know.

I'd like to start out by showing you a video of myself spinning the pencil back around, and then I will discuss it further down the guide.

Spin:


Foreword:

You have to know how to do the thumb around before you try to do this.

Before you even think about thinking about spinning the pencil back around, you need to be able to spin it around once using Catch A (discussed later in the guide).

Technique:

This may sound a bit fishy, but technique plays a major role in pencil spinning.

Ring vs. Middle:

I learned to spin with my middle finger; I've seen everyone else spin with their middle finger. It's clearly the norm to spin with your middle finger; however, I spin with my ring finger for a few reasons.

If you think about the anatomy of the hand, the middle finger has to stretch farther to reach the position where we spin the pencil. The ring finger is in the perfect position to just naturally spin. Because of the naturalness of the ring finger, we can more easily produce power. And, most importantly, I think it looks much more aesthetically pleasing which is a major factor in spinning.

It's completely possible to spin back and forth with your middle finger (as the video shows), but as I've said, I don't prefer it. And in this guide, I'm going to be assuming that everyone uses their ring finger. It's completely possible to spin with your middle finger, I just don't spin that way, and I don't think other people should.

Catching With Your Forefinger:

I'm not sure what to term the two catches, so I'll call them 'Catch A' and 'Catch B'. Catch A is the way you see me catch in all of my videos. My forefinger never goes out, it goes immediately into the catching position. This is a video of me spinning with Catch B. In Catch B, the finger goes out and then in (like a clamp). In order to spin the pencil back, you need to use catch A.

In the guide, I'm going to be assuming that everyone catches using Catch A.


The Guide:

For everything I say, there will be a corresponding section in the video that'll show an example of it.

Spinning Back:

In my video (after the intro of me spinning back and forth), I start out by not spinning back, but just showing one revolution around my thumb. You'll notice that when I keep my forefinger stiff, the pencil bounces off it. The fundamental concept you need to understand before you undergo the process of learning how to do this is that pencil wants to go back and forth--it doesn't want to stop. Your forefinger will act like spring. A little later in the video, you'll see me letting my forefinger give. This is what you want to do during the spin.

After you let the forefinger give a little, it will be coiled (like a spring). If you nudge it slightly, it will wrap back around your thumb. Then you'll have performed the Around and Back (not sure what to call it).

You can also do this Around and Back in reverse, as you can see near the end of the video. I wouldn't try to do this until you've mastered the Around and Back though; it's more complex. I only showed it to illustrate that you could.

In the video, I spin my pencil back and forth repetitively. Apply the same concept that you did to your forefinger to spin back to your ring finger, and you'll be able to continuously spin. This is more advanced though, so make sure you have mastered the Around and Back before you try it.

Afterword:

If you're having trouble, remember that this is hard to do. You won't master it overnight. Look back at my video throughout your leaning process if you want to see my timing.

I learned how to spin with one revolution and the around and back 4 and 2 years ago, respectively. If it seems natural in the video, it's because it is--I've been doing it forever.

As I've found out through helping Photon, everyone spins differently. If you, for some reason, absolutely can't get it, upload a video of yourself spinning and I'll point out what you need to change in order to go around and back.

 

LoL sweet, I can barely do it, but I will get better, and I think that your guide of doing showing how to do it is pretty good bro.

 

Damn. I'm struggling for it to go back :X I don't know how to do that.

 

Do you mean that the guide isn't in-depth enough? You won't get it right away, but if I could see a video of you trying, I may be able to give you a pointer or two.

 

Do you have MSN / Skype ? We could chat it out there if you have one. Easier over there.

 

Other than the layout, which you previously mentioned a work in progress. I found it a great reference for those wanting to "up" their game and spin the pen back around your thumb. I'm glad you made this because I didn't want to make an extension/new guide on something even I haven't fully mastered!

 

I gotta learn how to do this cause I gotta buddy in school who always does it and I always get jealous when I see him doing it and I have no clue how to