How to Look Like You Are Pulling Your Thumb Off

Last Updated: February 13, 2023

Want to shock your friends by making it look like you can pull your thumb apart at the knuckle? Learn this classic trick that only requires your hands, a mirror, and a little practice to pull off.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Practicing the Trick

1
Stand in front of a mirror to practice. It is important that you can see how the trick appears to your audience, so you can get a feel the angle at which you need to hold your thumbs so they are partially hidden.
2
Hold your left hand out with the palm facing you. This means your left thumb is resting against the side of your hand that is pointed to the sky, and the back of your hand is facing your audience. Imagine where your audience will be standing (preferably directly in front of you), and be careful not to angle your hand so they can see behind your palm.

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3
Bend your left thumb back toward your body. Your thumb should be bent at a 90° angle, with only the bottom half (the half below your knuckle) visible to someone standing directly in front of you.
4
Bend your right thumb at a 90° angle and lay it on the side of your left hand so that the knuckles of your thumbs are touching. It should appear as though you have one very long thumb--the left thumb providing the part below the knuckle, and your right hand making up the part above the knuckle, or the part with the nail.^{[1]
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5
Curl the index and middle fingers of your right hand over your thumb knuckles where they touch. This covers the one area where it is obvious that people are seeing two bent thumbs held together, instead just your left thumb lying flat against the side of your hand.
6
Slide your right thumb to the right, along the length of your left hand. Your index and middle fingers will naturally move with your thumb. It will look like the tip of your left thumb has detached and you are pulling it apart.^{[2]
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7
Practice this movement until it feels comfortable and fluid. You may find you have to adjust the angle of at which you bend your thumbs for it to look convincing.
- If you are left handed, the trick is exactly the same, just reverse it so your right thumb is the bottom of the thumb and your left thumb makes the tip.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Executing the Trick

1
Learn a little finesse to hide the process from the audience. Once you've got the basic movement mastered, you need to learn how to move in and out of the trick with some smooth movements, instead of just clearly setting up the trick before your audience's eyes.^{[3]
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2
Hold your right hand over your left forearm. Your fingers should be on the side of your arm facing your audience and your thumb should be on the other side of your arm, where it is visible only to you.^{[4]
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3
Slide your fingers down the length of your forearm in a smooth movement. You can wiggle your fingers a little if you want to make it dramatic and also draw the audience's eyes away from your thumbs. Hold your left thumb up, away from your hand.^{[5]
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4
Cover your left thumb with the fingers of your right hand. As soon as your left thumb is covered, pop your thumbs into position. You will be making the switch behind the cover of your fingers, bending your left and right thumbs and bringing them together, knuckle-to-knuckle.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I crack my knuckles?

Community Answer

Press your left and right-hand finger and hold, stiffen your fingers then push them towards your inner-palm.
Question

How do I get my thumb back on?

Community Answer

Slide your right thumb down and disconnect your thumbs pulling your hand apart and wiggle your fingers.
Question

How do I hide my finger?

Community Answer

You fold your thumb to your palm completely. (Try to do number 4 with your fingers.)