Backpalm

May 10, 2018
38
26
This is going to sound stupid and make me seem like I'm so new to magic and know nothing about it, but anyways

I've learnt a lot of sleights, moves, tricks etc in my time doing magic, but one thing I could literally never get down is the backpalm. Yeah, it probably sounds stupid because it's really simple to most of you but for some reason (I can do the movement right, and get it behind my hand all fine) but it always pokes out at my pinky finger. Any help? I've been trying to get it for so long but can't, and I couldn't find anything to help me out

Thanks
 
May 10, 2018
38
26
What source have you used to learn from?
I can't remember the original book, but I remember that I couldn't get it down so I started to look online (forums etc) for tips but couldn't find anything to prevent the card being exposed at my pinky.

Any tips you may have would help out a lot :)
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
I'm not an expert on the back palm, and a lot of manipulators used cards that kind of matched the skin tone of their hand in order to work around that particular issue. However, Dan Sperry has (Or at least had) a decent instructional video here on T11 for basic card manipulations and I believe he covered the back palm pretty well.

Mostly it's a matter of how you end up gripping the the card before the vanish. If you put your knuckles at the corners of the card before squeezing down to get the grip, with a more significant bow in the card, it should help reduce how much it shows beside the pinky.
 
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May 28, 2018
106
100
Saint Louis, MO
Backpalming is something that I do while reading a book, since I use cards as bookmarks. I never actually use it, except as a goof sometimes, but out of mindless repetition I have gotten pretty good at it.

Anyway how much of a problem edges showing really depends on your fingers. If you have fine boned thin fingers then you are going to have more trouble than someone like me who has Warren Haynes sausage fingers. I suggest practicing the palm very slowly, paying close attention to where the pinky corner it contacting your pinky. Get the corner of the card as close to the crown of the pinky knuckle as you can. If you find you have to have the corner way down between the fingers to maintain a grip, this is usually because of dry skin. Moisturize as needed. I don't have much advice for back palming great piles of cards since I am not a manipulator.
 

byronblaq

Elite Member
Jul 22, 2010
225
129
Melbourne, Australia
I'd agree with the above. I originally learnt the back palm because an old magician did this goof with it and I wanted to replicate that goof.

I practiced it for 1 hour in a class at school and by the end of the class it was looking pretty good!

The swivel is hard because if the card is to far forward it will show the card and if to far back you can easily drop it.

Try placing the card further back on the closer short edge when clipping. This may help to cover the leaks a little better.

B.
 
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DavidL11229

Elite Member
Jul 25, 2015
589
314
Seattle
but it always pokes out at my pinky finger. Any help? I've been trying to get it for so long but can't, and I couldn't find anything to help me out

Thanks
I spent years on the same problem, then I realized that it's not a close-up trick!! Ideally it's a stage trick, but use red cards and back up a ways and you'll be fine. Vanish, pause briefly, gently resume motion and then produce. Save the swivels for a full routine. People over 40 generally don't see as well, practice on us. But it's just not meant to be done close-up, though some probably can.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MagicCalls2000
May 10, 2018
38
26
Backpalming is something that I do while reading a book, since I use cards as bookmarks. I never actually use it, except as a goof sometimes, but out of mindless repetition I have gotten pretty good at it.

Anyway how much of a problem edges showing really depends on your fingers. If you have fine boned thin fingers then you are going to have more trouble than someone like me who has Warren Haynes sausage fingers. I suggest practicing the palm very slowly, paying close attention to where the pinky corner it contacting your pinky. Get the corner of the card as close to the crown of the pinky knuckle as you can. If you find you have to have the corner way down between the fingers to maintain a grip, this is usually because of dry skin. Moisturize as needed. I don't have much advice for back palming great piles of cards since I am not a manipulator.
I'd agree with the above. I originally learnt the back palm because an old magician did this goof with it and I wanted to replicate that goof.

I practiced it for 1 hour in a class at school and by the end of the class it was looking pretty good!

The swivel is hard because if the card is to far forward it will show the card and if to far back you can easily drop it.

Try placing the card further back on the closer short edge when clipping. This may help to cover the leaks a little better.

B.
I spent years on the same problem, then I realized that it's not a close-up trick!! Ideally it's a stage trick, but use red cards and back up a ways and you'll be fine. Vanish, pause briefly, gently resume motion and then produce. Save the swivels for a full routine. People over 40 generally don't see as well, practice on us. But it's just not meant to be done close-up, though some probably can.
Thank you all, I'm going to practice the backpalm more today and focus on all these things :)
 
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