| Trick name and link to video - Difficulty (More stars = harder trick) |
| Description / Instructions |
| 360 Thumbspin Normal * |
| Hold the pen between thumb and middle finger. Flex thumb and fold in middle finger. The pen spins around the thumb and is caught between the thumb and index finger. |
| 360 Thumbspin Normal (Index Finger Push) ** |
| Hold the pen between thumb and index finger. Flex thumb and fold in index finger. Quickly pull index finger back. Pen spins around thumb and is caught between thumb and index finger. |
| 360 Thumbspin (Fingerless) ** |
| Hold the pen parallel to floor between thumb and area below index finger. Flex thumb and make a counterclockwise (for righties) motion with hand. The pen spins around thumb and is caught between thumb and index finger. |
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Tossed Thumbspin (270 Degrees) ** PSP Original |
| Hold the pen between index and middle finger. Fold in index and middle fingers to toss the pen around thumb. Pen is caught between thumb and index finger. |
| Thumbspin 3 Rotations ***(*) |
| Start with push for a normal thumbspin, but instead of catching after one rotation, fold thumb down so that pen spins on top of the thumb. |
| Extended Thumbspin (Fake Double) *** |
| Start with motion for Thumbspin 1.5 Rotations. When thumb is folded down, also fold in the index finger. After 1.5 rotations, pen is caught between index and middle fingers. |
| 360 Thumbspin Reverse ** |
| Hold pen between thumb and index finger. Flex thumb and fold index finger behind thumb. Pen rotates in a reverse direction around thumb and is caught between thumb and middle finger. |
| Reverse Thumbspin 1.5 ***(*) |
| Start with motion for 360 Thumbspin Reverse, but lower thumb. After one rotation, raise the thumb again to use as a pivot to complete the spin. |
| Faked 180 (Half Tap) * |
| Hold pen between thumb and index finger. Snap in index finger. Pen spins a half rotation above thumb and is caught between thumb and index finger. |
| Faked 360 (Full Tap) ** |
| Hold pen between thumb and index finger. Snap in index finger. Pen spins a full rotation on top of index finger and is caught between thumb and index finger. |
| Fake Reverse 2 Rotations **** |
| The pencil does 2 rotations in the reverse direction. Make sure the thumb is folded down and allow your hand to move so that the pencil stays balanced. |
| Faked Index Spin *(*) |
| Hold the pen between thumb and index finger. Fold and lift slightly index finger. Pen rotates around index finger and is caught between index and middle fingers. |
| Charge Normal *(*) |
| Hold pen between middle and ring fingers. Move ring finger in a circular motion to spin the pen in a circle (view video in slow motion). |
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Sonic Normal (23-12) using thumb *(*) Sonic Normal (23-12) without thumb *(*) |
| Hold pen between middle and ring fingers. Fold middle finger in and ring finger out. Pen spins in a circular motion and is caught between index and middle fingers. |
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Sonic Normal (34-23) using thumb *(*) Sonic Normal (34-23) without thumb ** |
| Same as above trick, except starting between ring finger and pinky and ending between middle and ring fingers. |
| Sonic Jump Normal ** |
| Hold pen between ring finger and pinky. Do a sonic and catch pen between index and middle fingers. |
| Twisted Sonic *(*) |
| Hold pen between middle and ring fingers. Move ring finger slightly out and middle finger slightly in to swing the pen in a circular motion, but do not throw the pen. Instead, after 3/4 of a rotation, pass the pen up to between the index and middle fingers. |
| Inverse Sonic *** |
| Hold pen between middle and ring fingers. Start with a charge. When one rotation is finished, hit pen downwards with index finger. Pen does a sonic flip, but on the inside of the hand instead of the outside. |
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Sonic Reverse (with thumb) **(*) Sonic Reverse (without thumb) **(*) |
| Hold pen between index and middle fingers. Fold middle finger in and index finger out. The pen spins in a circular motion and is caught between the middle and ring fingers. |
| Sonic Jump Reverse **(*) |
| Simply a reverse motion of Sonic Jump. |
| Sonic Normal + Half Spin **(*) |
| Perform Sonic Normal but don't close middle and index fingers for the catch. Instead, tilt your hand slightly up to let the pen spin a half rotation and catch it in the area between thumb and index finger. |
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Shadow Still **** Side View Top View |
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Hold pen between index and middle fingers, using area between thumb and index finger as a stop. Release the pen and push the middle finger sideways. Pen spins on top of the hand and is caught between index and middle fingers. Note: this video is here because Hantricks, where this trick originated, is frequently down. |
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Corkscrew **** Video 1 Video 2 PSP Original |
| This is essentially a Twisted Sonic into a Half Tap with the push made near the end of the Twisted Sonic. As the pen is rotating after one spin, lightly tap the pen horizontally with the index finger. The motion is awkward, but with enough accuracy, the pen will have enough momentum to do a half spin horizontally. |
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Corkscrew Wide **** PSP Original |
| Holding the pen higher to perform Corkscrew makes the motion of the spin more obvious but less elegant. Very useful for lighter pens if you start with the pen held above the center of balance. |
| Index Spin *** |
| Hold pen between index and middle fingers. Push middle finger up. Pen spins away from you around the index finger. Unfold middle finger and catch pen between index and middle fingers. |
| Vertical Sonic (Faked Half Middle Spin) * |
| Hold pen between ring and middle fingers. Slightly move middle finger in and ring finger out. Pen spins around middle finger and is caught between thumb and area below index finger. |
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Snap Pass ** PSP Original |
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Hold pen in front of index and ring fingers and behind middle finger. Push up with ring finger as if doing a middle finger variation of Index Spin. Resist with index finger. To start spin, release index finger. Pen spins half a rotation and is caught between index and middle finger. Note: This is a Fingerpass Normal with a snap that allows (with sufficient practice) a link to Index Spin. |
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Hand Wrap **(*) Video 1 Video 2 PSP Original |
| Hold pen between ring finger and pinky. Snap up pen so that it wraps around the back of your hand and catch between thumb and index fingers. Video 1 shows the trick done in a more 'wraparound' style, while Video 2 shows the trick done in a 'tossed' style. |
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Index Spin from Backhand Stall **(*) PSP Original |
| Rest pen on the back of your fingers, with the center of balance between your index and middle fingers. Lower all your fingers except for index finger and swiftly move your hand in a counterclockwise motion (if you are righty). The pen should spin around the index finger. Catch the pen with your thumb and index finger. A fake motion of this trick can easily be performed by not moving your hand for the spin. Instead, let the pen drop and catch it between your index and middle fingers. Simultaneously rotate your hand in a counterclockwise direction and release the middle finger. |
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Index Spin 1.5 from Backhand Stall **** PSP Original |
| This trick uses the same technique as the Index Spin from Backhand Stall, but the extra half spin makes it much more difficult. The pen is caught between the index and middle fingers instead of the index and thumb to allow the extra half spin. |
| NeoBackaround **** |
| Hold pen between index and middle fingers. With a clockwise and slightly forward motion of the hand, release the pen so that it spins on the back of the hand in a clockwise direction. Lower the index finger after one rotation to catch the pen. Note that it is easier to do this trick in a harmonic spin fashion i.e. coming from a Halftap. |
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Shadow Flip **** PSP Original |
| Perform a Shadow Still, but instead of catching the pencil, keep your index and middle fingers close together to stop the pencil in between them. Raise the middle finger slightly and snap up the index finger to launch the pencil into the air and then catch it. In the video, my hand goes off the camera because after many filmings I still couldn't keep my hand on camera for the throw! But you can still see my hand's shadow for the second part. |
| 360 Thumbspin Harmonic ***(*) |
| Continuously perform 360 Thumbspin Normal and 360 Degree Reverse. Use only the tip of the middle finger and side of thumb to catch the reverse spin, and use only the tip of the index finger and the side of the thumb to catch the normal spin. Note that the pen is always caught in the ready position for next spin. |
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One Finger Thumbspin Harmonic **** |
| Continuous motion of Thumbspin Normal (Index Finger Push) and Thumbspin Reverse (Index Finger Catch). To catch the Forward Thumbspin in ready position for reverse, move your thumb to the left (if you are righty) and over your index finger. To catch the Reverse with only index finger, move your thumb to the right and over your index finger during the spin. This trick won't look much more impressive than a normal Thumbspin Harmonic to a non-spinner, but it's a show of skill to all of your fellow pen spinners. |
| 360 Thumbspin Harmonic with Break ***(*) |
| Start with a 360 Thumbspin Reverse, but catch pen between middle and ring fingers. Using the pen's momentum, link to a Sonic Normal, then a 360 Thumbspin Normal with index finger push. |
| Continuous Half Taps *** |
| Continuous Faked 180's. Use momentum from previous spin to help with next spin. |
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Countinuous Reverse Full Taps ****(*) Video 1 Video 2 PSP Exclusive (Probably not original though) |
| Spin like a Reverse Normal, but keep thumb folded down so that the pencil spins on top of the hand. As the pen completes a ful turn, fold in the middle finger again using the momentum from the previous spin. I haven't gotten this consistently yet so expect a better video in the future. |
| Sonic Rise Harmonic ***(*) |
| Once you understand Sonic, this infinite combo is easy to understand. But nevertheless it's hard to perform continously and smoothly. It's important that you learn how to do Sonic without initial pressure from the thumb. |
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Sonic to Backaround ***(*) PSP Exclusive |
| Start with sonic. Do not use thumb to start the sonic spin so that the pen doesn't spin too fast. Rotate hand during the catch to link to Backaround. Pen wraps around back of the hand and is caught between thumb and index fingers. |
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Reverse Thumbspin to Sonic to Corkscrew ****(*) PSP Original |
| Start with the pen held a little lower than normal so that the pen is caught in a good position for Sonic 34-23 after Reverse Thumbspin. This combo shows how the pen can start spinning in a reverse direction and end in a forward direction by using a fluid combo (as opposed to a harmonic combo). |
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Freestyle #1 with Lesson ***(*) PSP Exclusive Freestyle |
| Forward Single -> Reverse Single -> Forward Double -> Halftap -> Halftap -> Faked Index Spin -> Reverse Single -> Forward Double |
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Freestyle #2 ****(*) Another PSP Exclusive! |
| Forward 1 1/2 -> Faked Index Spin -> Neo-Backaround -> Full Tap -> Faked Index Spin -> Forward 1 1/2 |
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Freestyle #2a (very similar to Freestyle #2) **** PSP Exclusive! |
| Forward Double -> Faked Index Spin -> Neo-Backaround -> Full Tap |