How to Put Someone in a Fingerlock

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Ask for a volunteer.

   Pick someone out from the group you’re in who wants to have this trick done on them.
   
   You can assure your volunteer that this trick won’t hurt, just amaze them! It’s possible that double-jointed people will be able to get out of this trick, so you can ask the volunteer first if he or she is double-jointed.
2. 2

   Step 2: Have the volunteer put both hands together.

   Ask your volunteer to hold his or her hands out in front of them and press both palms together.
   
   Make sure the volunteer has his or her palms flat together with the fingertips of one hand touching the fingertips of the other. , Have the person fold the middle finger on both hands down, so that each one is resting on the back of the opposite hand.
   
   The middle fingers should be folded down as one would when interlacing the fingers.
   
   However, all other fingers (thumbs, pointer fingers, ring fingers, and pinky fingers) should remain unfolded with fingertips touching.
   
   Try an alternative if you wish, which has only the ring fingers up, with all other fingers folded down., Place a coin of any kind between your volunteer’s two ring finger tips.
   
   Then ask them to separate each pair of fingertips, with the ring fingers holding the coin last.
   
   Have the volunteer separate their thumbs.
   
   They should be able to easily.
   
   Have the volunteer separate their pointer fingers.
   
   They should be able to easily.
   
   Have the volunteer separate their pinky fingers.
   
   They should be able to easily.
   
   Then have the volunteer separate their ring fingers, with the goal of letting the coin drop.
   
   They will likely struggle to move their ring fingers apart at all. , See the shocked or frustrated face of your volunteer when he or she can’t move their ring fingers, which is surprising to most people because they can move all of their other fingers easily.
   
   You can tell others that this trick occurs because the tendons in the hand that control the fingers are separate from one another, except for the middle and ring finger, which are controlled by the same tendon.
   
   So when one is folded down, the other can’t be lifted.If your volunteer is able to separate their fingers enough to drop the coin, try placing a bigger object between the fingers.
   
   Also make sure that your volunteer’s middle fingers stay completely folded down to prevent them from getting out of the lock.
   
   You can even hold these fingers down for them.
   
   You can also place something between the subject’s palms to help keep the fingers folded down and make the trick more difficult.
   
   Use an object like a thin book, a small rock, or even your own hands.
3. 3

   Step 3: Ask the volunteer to fold their middle fingers down.

4. 4

   Step 4: Place a coin between the ring fingertips and ask them to move each finger.

5. 5

   Step 5: Enjoy the confused and amazed look of your volunteer and friends.

Detailed Guide

About the Author