How to Fix a Slinky
Put one end of the slinky over your fingers., Move your finger and thumb along the edge of the slinky., Find out where the slinky continues through the tangle., Carefully push the end of the slinky through the tangle., Rotate the slinky at severe...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Put one end of the slinky over your fingers.
Locate the least tangled end of the slinky and put four of your fingers through its center.
Keep your thumb on the outside of the loop, so you can grip the end of the slinky and hold it in place.Extra-long slinkies might be easier to untangle if you keep the "good" part over your arm, or over a cardboard paper towel tube. -
Step 2: Move your finger and thumb along the edge of the slinky.
Run your first finger and thumb along the slinky, approaching the first tangled area next to the end you're holding.
The "good" end of the slinky will collect in a neat stack around your fingers. , Slow down as you approach the tangled area and look closely, so you can see exactly where the slinky goes next.
Pull the Slinky's tangled area apart if necessary to get a better view. , Take the "good" slinky off your hand, and hold it so it stays in a neat stack.
Turn the stack at an angle and fit it through a gap in the next tangle, so it joins the next length of slinky where your finger and thumb followed it.
Once it's through, put the neat stack back on your fingers.
Sometimes, it's easier to hold the stack in place and lift the next loop of the tangle over and around the end of the stack., If you notice a part of the slinky that's bending in completely the wrong direction, or even looks like its about to snap, try rotating the two tangled areas that are crossing each other.
Once the area is under less pressure, you can safely pull apart a gap and move the neat end of the slinky through it, as described above. , Continue following the slinky and collecting it on your hand.
Whenever you see a tangle, use the techniques above to get through it. , If you're untangling a long or extra-tangled slinky, at some point it might get too long to easily move through the gap.
At this point, you can carefully set down the part you've already untangled, and switch to the other end of the slinky.
Repeat the steps above until the entire slinky is untangled. -
Step 3: Find out where the slinky continues through the tangle.
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Step 4: Carefully push the end of the slinky through the tangle.
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Step 5: Rotate the slinky at severe bends.
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Step 6: Repeat until untangled.
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Step 7: Switch to the other end if necessary.
Detailed Guide
Locate the least tangled end of the slinky and put four of your fingers through its center.
Keep your thumb on the outside of the loop, so you can grip the end of the slinky and hold it in place.Extra-long slinkies might be easier to untangle if you keep the "good" part over your arm, or over a cardboard paper towel tube.
Run your first finger and thumb along the slinky, approaching the first tangled area next to the end you're holding.
The "good" end of the slinky will collect in a neat stack around your fingers. , Slow down as you approach the tangled area and look closely, so you can see exactly where the slinky goes next.
Pull the Slinky's tangled area apart if necessary to get a better view. , Take the "good" slinky off your hand, and hold it so it stays in a neat stack.
Turn the stack at an angle and fit it through a gap in the next tangle, so it joins the next length of slinky where your finger and thumb followed it.
Once it's through, put the neat stack back on your fingers.
Sometimes, it's easier to hold the stack in place and lift the next loop of the tangle over and around the end of the stack., If you notice a part of the slinky that's bending in completely the wrong direction, or even looks like its about to snap, try rotating the two tangled areas that are crossing each other.
Once the area is under less pressure, you can safely pull apart a gap and move the neat end of the slinky through it, as described above. , Continue following the slinky and collecting it on your hand.
Whenever you see a tangle, use the techniques above to get through it. , If you're untangling a long or extra-tangled slinky, at some point it might get too long to easily move through the gap.
At this point, you can carefully set down the part you've already untangled, and switch to the other end of the slinky.
Repeat the steps above until the entire slinky is untangled.
About the Author
Dennis Henderson
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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