A friend of mine recently showed me a trick with two toothpicks. I’ll try to describe it as best i can. He held one toothpick between his thumb and index finger, and it went out across over his other fingers. Then he laid the other toothpick down on top of it, with one end just over the first toothpick and the other resting on his palm, sort of making a cross. Then he made the toothpick on top “jump”.
Anyone whose seen this will know what I’m talking about. I think this description makes it sound more complicated then it is. Can someone fill me in on the secret? I can’t figure it out.
This exact question was asked about 3 months ago or so.
You hold the one toothpick such that the tip or edge is wedged under your fingernail. When you touch the toothpicks together, you allow the toothpick to come “unwedged” and as a result it flicks up quickly and almost imperceptibly… but with enough force to propel the other toothpick into the air.
Hope this helps.
I’m sure there’s a diagram of the trick on the net somewhere.
Have your friend do it again. Watch his middle finger under the base toothpick… It will move very slightly. The small natural ridges in your fingernails make the top pick jump.