I've been working on a couple of routines that require me to CP a stack of coins and then drop them one at a time. I'm already hip to beveling the coins and this does allow me to consistently drop a single coin (most of the time). However, I've found it works much easier for me if I bevel the coins towards my fingers and every resource I've seen that covers this suggests beveling the coins towards the wrist. I haven't really worried about this up to this point, but I recently saw something that offered that beveling towards the wrist helps with Kaps/Malini subtlety.

What do you think? Should I back up and try to learn to drop with beveling in the opposite direction or if I'm careful of angles? Right now there is only one routine I'm interested in that calls for the Kaps/Malini subtlety, but down the road, who knows?

For a little context, here is a video of me practicing a routine that requires this technique.

https://youtu.be/5RBqyRI91lA

As always, constructive criticism and advice is welcome.

Thanks!

Dave

It really requires muscle practice and well milled coins. All I can say is slightly releasing palm pressure on the coins allows you to drop them one at a time from cp. I can only do 4, without my hand looking like a claw. You might also consider angle palm (aka JC palm or Chanin grip) as an easier way to palm and release a stack of coins one at a time.

I can only do this with large coins. I use old English pennies, but it probably would be easier with milled coins.

Barry

Thanks for the thoughts, Dr. Rubinstein and Barry.

To be clear, I'm doing pretty well at dropping a single coin from a stack of 4. My question has to do with the direction I'm beveling the coins (towards the fingers instead of towards the wrist). I'm wondering if the benefits (Kaps/Malini subtlety or something I'm not familiar with or thinking of) make it better to make a more serious effort at beveling the coins like most folks seem to.

Dave

I don't bevel tbe coins, just keep 'em in a stack.

The bevel (if at all) should be pretty slight - mine's only a mm or two. So it shouldn't be a huge impact to your subtleties either way - I'd suggest doing the one that you find works best for your hands/muscles.

I don't bevel them either.

The technique I use is described in my book Kingdom of the Red in Chapter 16, "Peace Dollar Production".
For Magic Café members, I can provide a pdf of the this chapter at no cost. Just email me or PM me your email address and I'll send you the file. Please respect that these are copyrighted and are not be copied or distributed.
barnowsky1@aol.com]

Larry

Thanks for the thoughts and inspiration, everyone. I spent some time this morning practicing keeping the coins in a straight stack, rather than beveled. I was pleasantly surprised at how much better I am at dropping single coins out compared to a couple of years or so ago when I first tried to learn this. I guess the practice with the coins beveled has translated into a straight stack. It's not as consistent, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

I also spent the time practicing Dr. Rubinstein's method for getting the stack into classic palm (I think from one of your Penguin lectures, Dr. R., I need to go back and rewatch to make sure I'm doing this correctly). Like dropping single coins out, I find it pretty knacky to get the stack in both the correct position and keep the coins from talking, but I'm getting slightly better at it.

If I can get a good run through of a routine on video I'll try to post it and update my progress.

Thanks again!

Dave