Downs Palm, Advice Plz

[Corythepure]

So I got Bobo's modern coin magic and decided to start practicing the Downs palm a bunch. Any advice on how to make it better? It seems like if you don't have the angle just right they are gonna see the coin regardless of whether or not you have it down. I just tried it on my little brother(even with some good misdirection) and still he immediately sunk down to the floor and looked up at it.

God Dammit,
Cory

 

[scottbaird]

So I got Bobo's modern coin magic and decided to start practicing the Downs palm a bunch. Any advice on how to make it better? It seems like if you don't have the angle just right they are gonna see the coin regardless of whether or not you have it down. I just tried it on my little brother(even with some good misdirection) and still he immediately sunk down to the floor and looked up at it.

God Dammit,
Cory

If you "don't have the angle just right", you don't "have it down".

Scott.

 

[Sir FansAlot]

A great way to practice this palm is to hold your hand out and notice when you see it. It gives you some perspective as to how brutal the angles are (which is not so much). And for spectators don't hold it there so long.

 

[Chicken]

Well if you tell someone "ooh, can you see the coin?" they're obviously going to see it. It's not even suppose to be there, why would they even be looking for it? And usually the back of your hand is towards them for downs palm, so the closed fingers hide the coin.

 

[Sir FansAlot]

Well if you tell someone "ooh, can you see the coin?" they're obviously going to see it. It's not even suppose to be there, why would they even be looking for it? And usually the back of your hand is towards them for downs palm, so the closed fingers hide the coin.

I dunno, for a downs palm I was thinking he meant the palm is forward. Could work both ways though. With palm forward you could say "ooh, can you see the coin?" And still hide it and produce it fairly.

 

[Corythepure]

For the vanish and what not I was doing it palm forward, and of course I wasn't like "can you see the coin?" I'm not 5... That is how I've been practicing it lately though, I just look at it and try to move it around as much as I can without catching a glimpse of it. Pretty hard stuff. But someone said that this sleight will be preformed with people looking at the back of my hand most of the time? Wouldn't I just use a different palm then?

 

[Sir FansAlot]

Probably just a simple misunderstanding on the sleight being used. There are exceptions but mostly palm forward is the standard for Downs. Another good drill you can try is using a mirror: You should generally (from your perspective) see the coin while they shouldn't. It's just inherent in the angles. What I do is get into position and note the angle I'm looking at it, look at the mirror and see if you can see it. You'll find that with certain 'aim' from your point of view to theirs you will be safe. It only takes a glance from coin to mirror to know if it's good. After awhile you'll get a feel of the correct hold and won't need to scrutinize it so much.

 

[jprace]

If you are in Down's Palm, using your thumb and index (or middle) finger to complete the loop around the coin, point the spot where your fingers touch at the eyes of the audience. This should create an appropriate angle where the coin cannot be seen.

 

[Chicken]

Palm backwards is standard, since down's palm is usually used for concealing multiple coins. In example, you could have 5 coins in downs palm, produce 4 of them with the palm towards you, and the last one you turn around and put the palm towards them.

 

[Sir FansAlot]

Palm backwards is standard, since down's palm is usually used for concealing multiple coins. In example, you could have 5 coins in downs palm, produce 4 of them with the palm towards you, and the last one you turn around and put the palm towards them.

Could be, that you could still produce multiple coins with palm forward? Why does it have to be so hidden if you can produce like that? (Besides obvious things like 100 coins in a hat).

 

[RikAllen]

It's possible to do multiple coin production from downs palm, with the palm forward.

It's better in a parlor/stage setting due to your ability to control angles. Close up palm towards yourself would probably be better, but if you're going to have your palm towards yourself you could use the edge palm and produce more coins just as convincingly, even on the last one, using peoples own minds to fool them.

Teller Explains with his own miser's dream example.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[Corythepure]

That was actually super cool! I see what you mean now though.

Downs palm isn't quite as angle sensitive as much as I just need to learn to trick people with it better.

Thanks for the advice =D

 

[Sir FansAlot]

Downs palm isn't quite as angle sensitive as much as I just need to learn to trick people with it better.

There are some different subtleties you can practice that make it seem more like you're not hiding anything. Wiggling the fingers around a bit is one, or flicking a finger or two off the thumb. There are also some little things that I think work better than others. If you're body is too squared towards the front the hand w/palm forward looks unnatural as does the hand out too far from your body. Better to angle your body and pull your hand in a little closer. This is just opinion on my part but I find it looks more natural. The main point being that you're not bringing any attention to what isn't supposed to be there in the 1st place.

 

[Corythepure]

I've been watching Doctor Sawa's Coin Magic and I saw that on a lot of his moves he was using a Ramsey subtlety. So now I've been adding that to the routines I'm practicing and I think its helping me =) But yeah I see what you mean, even asking them to look at the hand and ask if its suspicious is a step in the wrong direction.

Thanks I think that's awesome advice everyone has given me =D