Spoon bending, how's it done?

[CFLarsen]

More! More! I love it....

 

[Steve Knight]

Jim, you are my absolute sodding hero! I'm always looking for footage of Uri so feel free to post more!

 

[Dragon]

Good stuff Jim!
Now what we really need is decent quality footage of the Noel Edmunds "Gotcha".

 

[Jyera]

I just saw Uri break a spoon in half on TV. (He did his compass and clock starting thing too.)

I have to admit he is good at that. So how's he do it?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he did anything magical. I just missed how he did it. Is there a link where someone explains the trick etc.?

Breaking the spoon in half on TV...

Is this a typo, a new trick, or an embarrassing incident in which Uri just bend it a little too much?

 

[The Don]

Re: Re: Spoon bending, how's it done?

Breaking the spoon in half on TV...

Is this a typo, a new trick, or an embarrassing incident in which Uri just bend it a little too much?

IIRC, in the mid-70s when he became famous in the West, a proportion of spoons would break, the rest would merely be bent.

 

[KingMerv00]

Re: Re: Spoon bending, how's it done?

Breaking the spoon in half on TV...

Is this a typo, a new trick, or an embarrassing incident in which Uri just bend it a little too much?

It bent and then broke. There were definately two pieces at the end.

I suspect he bent it with slight of hand till it broke but held it together with his fingers at the point of the break. He then slowly released his grip to make it appear to melt. Finally, he released it.

The clock and compass thing was way less impressive.

 

[richardm]

Re: Re: Re: Spoon bending, how's it done?

I suspect he bent it with slight of hand till it broke but held it together with his fingers at the point of the break.

Possibly, or perhaps he got at the spoons earlier, or perhaps he substituted one of his own spoons. That's safer than trying to fatigue a spoon in front of an audience, especially since quite a lot of people know you can do this and will be watching out for it.

 

[whump!]

Hi. New guy here. My first post. I watched the last 30 minutes of the show yesterday on SciFi Network. After seeing it and reading this thread, I just had to chime-in. I have ZERO respect anymore for Jim Lampley. He used to be an anchor here in L.A. after leaving ABC Sports. He was a pretty decent newscaster. Anyway, the stuff in that show was pretty awful. I do wonder about the Canadian couple who appeard to do some cold readings and levitate a table using an audience member. I suspect that there are real explanations for both that most magicians could (but won't) explain. For me, the funniest part came at the end, when Uri Geller did the possible. Apparently when the show started, Lampley sketched a simple drawing on a piece of paper and stuck it in his back pocket for the remainder of the show. At the end, Geller "miraculously" duplicated the drawing to Lampley's amazement. Well, I MUST be psychic! As soon as Lampley stated what it was that Geller was supposed to do, the first thing that popped into my mind before Geller started drawing, was a stick figure of a man. As Geller was trying to "read" Lampley for the drawing, he stated that it was a complex drawing. Yeah, right! As soon as he turned the piece of paper to show the camera, I giggled. When he compared it to Lampley's drawing, I roared with laughter. The probability of having a match was quite high, and the odds payed off for Geller. I hope they show the program again. I would like to tape it and take a closer look at things. Geller even did his spoon bending trick using a bunch of kids on stage and members of the audience. There was also a remote viewing segment that I am curious about. I am suspicious about whether conditions were truly controlled.

Back to lurking...

Whump!

 

[Mercutio]

Re: Re: Re: Spoon bending, how's it done?

It bent and then broke. There were definately two pieces at the end.

I suspect he bent it with slight of hand till it broke but held it together with his fingers at the point of the break. He then slowly released his grip to make it appear to melt. Finally, he released it.

The clock and compass thing was way less impressive.

In Randi's NOVA video, "Secrets of the Psychics", he does the same--the spoon appears to bend, then break and fall in two pieces. And to my eye, it was exactly as you describe in your second paragraph.

 

[KingMerv00]

Hi. New guy here. My first post. I watched the last 30 minutes of the show yesterday on SciFi Network. After seeing it and reading this thread, I just had to chime-in. I have ZERO respect anymore for Jim Lampley. He used to be an anchor here in L.A. after leaving ABC Sports. He was a pretty decent newscaster. Anyway, the stuff in that show was pretty awful. I do wonder about the Canadian couple who appeard to do some cold readings and levitate a table using an audience member. I suspect that there are real explanations for both that most magicians could (but won't) explain. For me, the funniest part came at the end, when Uri Geller did the possible. Apparently when the show started, Lampley sketched a simple drawing on a piece of paper and stuck it in his back pocket for the remainder of the show. At the end, Geller "miraculously" duplicated the drawing to Lampley's amazement. Well, I MUST be psychic! As soon as Lampley stated what it was that Geller was supposed to do, the first thing that popped into my mind before Geller started drawing, was a stick figure of a man. As Geller was trying to "read" Lampley for the drawing, he stated that it was a complex drawing. Yeah, right! As soon as he turned the piece of paper to show the camera, I giggled. When he compared it to Lampley's drawing, I roared with laughter. The probability of having a match was quite high, and the odds payed off for Geller. I hope they show the program again. I would like to tape it and take a closer look at things. Geller even did his spoon bending trick using a bunch of kids on stage and members of the audience. There was also a remote viewing segment that I am curious about. I am suspicious about whether conditions were truly controlled.

Back to lurking...

Whump!

Don't go back to lurking. Every skeptic is needed.

The show was bunk...pure and simple. Here are the parts I remember:

Uri Geller's tripe. Already discussed.


A women read the serial number off a dollar bill from someone in the audience. Impressive. It was more impressive when I saw it the first time years before. I was fortunate enough to see Penn and Teller (skeptics through and through) perform the same trick during a live show.


There was a guy who took an audience member and let her hide a spike face up under one of four styrofoam cups. He then "read" her mind and smashed the other 3 cups with his hand. Yawn

First off, the odds are 25% just be chance alone. Pretty good. I believe the trick is simple. The host helped the woman set up the blade. The mentalist (still blindfolded) asked the host, "Ready"? The host then said, "The spike has been placed." I'm almost sure that the host was in on the bit and just spoke in code. For example, "Yes, she's ready" would mean cup one, "The spike has been placed" for cup two" etc. Super lame.

 

[whump!]

I missed the part with the guy mashing cups where a nail is under one. One of the guys on the show "Mondo Magic" on A&E named Chris Korn was rehearsing the same trick before their trip to Chicago, when it painfully backfired. Ouch! That required a trip to the hospital.

I really like the show Mondo Magic. Their type of "in your face" magic is the most entertaining. They aren't pretentious about it and have alot of fun. Most of their tricks really do appear to be genuine in the paranormal department and are fantastic to watch. It's great entertainment. I recommend all skeptics watch it for the fun of it. If anyone catches their episode in New Orleans, they visit Harry Anderson at his magic shop. I never knew he moved out of L.A. until I saw that. He used to be a fixture at the Comedy and Magic Club in Manhattan Beach.

Back to "Powers of the Paranormal", I saw the dollar bill trick. Previously, the same Canadian couple were able to name the guy who they (apparently) randomly picked from the audience. Then they did the bit with the serial number. Was she wearing an earpiece? Was the guy a plant? Hmmm. I wonder if any of the show participants have ever applied for the JREF prize? Probably not. Anyway, I'll have to catch the prior 90 minutes some day to see who and what I missed. You are right, King. The show definitely was bunk. They seance where, supposedly, Andy Kaufman and Marilyn Monroe pay a visit, was unwatchable.

 

[CptColumbo]

There is a show on A&E called Mondo Magic with two street magicians performing slight of hand tricks. In one they were spoon bending for patrons of a bar, unfortunately the camera was at a bad angle. While the bar goers were astonished the home audience got a lesson in how spoon bending is performed.

 

[epepke]

I just saw Uri break a spoon in half on TV. (He did his compass and clock starting thing too.)

I have to admit he is good at that. So how's he do it?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he did anything magical. I just missed how he did it. Is there a link where someone explains the trick etc.?

Since this isn't the Conjuror's Corner, and this trick is so old that conjurors should be ashamed at presenting a protective image of secrecy, I don't think it's bad to discuss it here.

I have no idea how he does it in general. However, there are many ways in which you can bend a spoon.

You can just bend the damn spoon, with two hands or with your fingers, and then use sleight-of-hand to reveal the bend

OR

You can work-harden a part of the spoon beforehand, which makes it brittle and easily broken

OR

You can claim that your psychic powers work best under water and use a faucet, which just happens to be a nice sturdy pipe with a hole slightly bigger than a spoon handle

OR

You can cast a spoon out of Woodsmetal, and you get an extra trick, because it will melt in really hot coffee

OR

You can buy the trick from a magic shop, which usually includes a thing with hinges that gives you more leverage over the key or spoon that you are trying to bend

OR

any number of several well known techniques or some you might think up on your own.

 

[alfaniner]

There is a show on A&E called Mondo Magic with two street magicians performing slight of hand tricks. In one they were spoon bending for patrons of a bar, unfortunately the camera was at a bad angle. While the bar goers were astonished the home audience got a lesson in how spoon bending is performed.

I caught only a few minutes of that. Is it a series? The spinning credit card trick was quite amazing. I don't know if it was a physical effect or a skill (like sleight of hand), but I can see how people seeing it might be convinced it was somehow paranormal.

 

[tommyz]

Big Deal...

I can bend spoons too. But one has to seriously question why he chooses spoons over other more difficult to bend objects --such as a stainless steel butter knife. Hmmm.....

Now if I could see him bend a quarter with his bare hands, I'll be VERY impressed!

 

[The Mighty Thor]

whump : I missed the part with the guy mashing cups where a nail is under one. One of the guys on the show "Mondo Magic" on A&E named Chris Korn was rehearsing the same trick before their trip to Chicago, when it painfully backfired. Ouch! That required a trip to the hospital.

This is also done with knives and paper bags. It doesn't need a stooge, but could be done with one. With a bit of disorientation, it CAN go wrong, as you said.

It DOES need a very clever gimmick. It nearly drove me nuts trying to figure it out. The fact that the conjurer really is unable to see -- he can tape coins over his eyes, then add blindfold -- is very impressive. I thought of all kinds of complex ways to detect the knife/nail, including palmed magnets etc.

As usual, however, the actual gimmick is ingenious and very, very simple.

I have a GREAT RESPECT for the people who invent these tricks.

 

[epepke]

Re: Big Deal...

I can bend spoons too. But one has to seriously question why he chooses spoons over other more difficult to bend objects --such as a stainless steel butter knife. Hmmm.....

Now if I could see him bend a quarter with his bare hands, I'll be VERY impressed!

Bending keys used to be popular, but that was when keys were often made out of aluminum. Very easy to bend.

Nowadays, most key companies seem to have gone back to brass or steel. Much harder to bend.

 

[walthrup48]

Re: Re: Spoon bending, how's it done?

Breaking the spoon in half on TV...

Is this a typo, a new trick, or an embarrassing incident in which Uri just bend it a little too much?

None of the above, unless by "new" you mean "a trick Uri first demonstrated 30-odd years ago". He broke a fork in half during the programme which made him a household name over here in the UK - The Richard Dimbleby Talk-in, available on-line to view here at Geller's web site.

Edit: Spoon/fork, whatever.

 

[Hawk one]

Re: Re: Re: Spoon bending, how's it done?

None of the above, unless by "new" you mean "a trick Uri first demonstrated 30-odd years ago". He broke a fork in half during the programme which made him a household name over here in the UK - The Richard Dimbleby Talk-in, available on-line to view here at Geller's web site.

Edit: Spoon/fork, whatever.

The spork will be the new controlling kitchen appliance! All hail The Spork!!!

Anyway, perhaps we should tell Uri to keep to sporks so that you won't get confused about which of them he's bending in the future? Or will that diminish the awesomeness of the spork?

 

[Peter S.]

Re: Re: Big Deal...

Bending keys used to be popular, but that was when keys were often made out of aluminum. Very easy to bend.

Nowadays, most key companies seem to have gone back to brass or steel. Much harder to bend.

I always preferred brass or steel to aluminum keys. I found out the hard way that with a little too much pressure aluminum keys will break, (it was the lady's only car key!)

The best key bender is another key with a hole wide enough to stick the end of another key in.