Goshman Pinched hard!

[Lord Magic]

There will be a comma or a hyphen somewhere in the thread title I guess...anyways...

The Goshman Pinch I do always seems to get the coin pinched in a right angle!

And even if I manage to have it a bit tilted, it does not stay in that way and goes back to 90° or more when I turn my hand over (is that supposed to happen?).

How do I get the perfect angle?

Also, does the Pinch need finger strength?

I AM using big coins right now, but still...this problem persists.

Help? Pretty Please?

PS:-Source, Sankey's Revolutionary Coin Magic. I have watched and re-watched it a million times, but still cannot get the sleight to work for me

PPS:- Is the Pinch in Bobo's? I tried looking for it but it wasn't there...wondering if it is there under some other name (I tried Tenkai Pinch too, but no results).

 

[cgstorz]

You need to develop some finger strength. Not only for the angle but the stronger your fingers the less tension you need to maintain the pinch without looking like you stole the hand off a mannequin. I would start with smaller coins. Learn the original Tenkai Pennies. It is one of the best impromptu coin tricks out there and will teach you a lot about angle management as well as the pinch.

If memory serves the pinch was in the original hardback Bobo's but is not present in the Dover reprint.

 

[ID4]

PPS:- Is the Pinch in Bobo's? I tried looking for it but it wasn't there...wondering if it is there under some other name (I tried Tenkai Pinch too, but no results).

Yes, but you're looking in the wrong version.

 

[RealityOne]

If memory serves the pinch was in the original hardback Bobo's but is not present in the Dover reprint.

Yes, but you're looking in the wrong version.

Modern Coin Magic was published in 1952 and the copyright wasn't properly renewed so the copyright lapsed. The New Modern Coin Magic was published in 1966 and contained the original book plus 155 additional pages - the Goshman Pinch being on the 9th of those additional pages.

 

[cgstorz]

You are probably right, councilor.

 

[Lord Magic]

Thanks! A bummer it is...when you discover the copy you have is not the best, anyways, thank you for the information!

Some help on the other technical aspects of the sleight please?

How do I get the perfect angle?

 

[Justin.Morris]

Sounds like you are opening your hand and keeping all your fingers level. Your pinky needs to be further back while its holding it. It's a balance of not being too far back that it looks fishy. This also helps with people seeing the edge flashing because the visible angle changes.

 

[Justin.Morris]

 

[Lord Magic]

Thanks! Appreciate it so much...

 

[Lord Magic]

Is the coin supposed to be held very firmly?

'Cuz mine when in the pinch, shakes slightly when I move my hand...

 

[Justin.Morris]

Is the coin supposed to be held very firmly?

'Cuz mine when in the pinch, shakes slightly when I move my hand...

Well it should be firm enough that if you shook your hand it shouldn't fall out. Similar tension to palming a coin perhaps. The important thing is that it looks as natural as possible from the front. Keep practicing and you will get it!

 

[Lord Magic]

Well it should be firm enough that if you shook your hand it shouldn't fall out. Similar tension to palming a coin perhaps. The important thing is that it looks as natural as possible from the front. Keep practicing and you will get it!

Sorry if I am being too naggy by asking so many times...

But the thing is that when my hand is palm down, the coin is at a perfect angle. But when it is palm up,since the coin is not too firmly held, it forms a 90° angle for me due to gravity.
That's bad?

 

[cgstorz]

Besides just practice you can do some work on pinky strength and flexibility. Don't over do it though, because the muscles that control lateral finger movement are not particularly strong. A little bit will go a long way.

What you'll need, a flat and moderately wide rubber band. Not the skinny ones that you use for rubber band magic but not the big ones they use to hold celery stalks together either. Something in between.

What you'll do. With your hands palm up loop the rubber band over your pinkies, round about the tip most knuckle. Now cross your arms at the wrists and turn your palms down. Move the hands far enough apart to take any slack out of the rubber band while both pinkies are as far away from the other fingers as is comfortable. Pull both pinkies in toward their respective fingers, trying to pull the pinkie past the ring finger. Do this with the pinkie "behind" the ring finger (like it would be in the Pinch) and "in front" of the pinkie. To work the opposite set of tendons and muscles do the same thing but with the arms not crossed. Don't work it too much, say a set of 10-20 each way every other day to start. Like I said, a little development there goes a long way. You can of course do all the fingers like that if you want. Doesn't take long and you can do it anywhere.

I hope that is helpful to you.

 

[Justin.Morris]

Don't worry about asking!
It should be held more firmly than that. Gravity should not affect the position of the coin in that way. You may have wider 'windows' - gaps between your fingers- that may be causing some troubles.