I can palm a coin easily. No problem. … Piece of cake.
Keeping it there while performing? … No.

I recently discovered that a palmed bottle cap will stick there all day. I could roller-blade, water-ski or even pick up another bottle cap with no worries!
The audience would have to prize it from my dead hands to catch me out.

Where was I?
Oh yes…
Which of the many excellent coin routines would translate perfectly to bottle caps?

(Disclaimer: I can’t actually water-ski or roller-blade.)

Actually,

Goshman does a chink-chink routine with bottle caps. (It’s in his Book, Magic by Gosh.)

Just about every coin routine can be applied with bottle caps, though some adjustment would be needed.


Be interesting doing an international 3-fly with three different beer caps.


I'm if you put some work into it, you can apply bottle caps to any coin routine you want.

Have any routines in mind?

You are not alone with wet hands.

David Roth once suggested I do a ten-minute act with live goldfish.

The obvious applications to picking stuff up from the table include assemblies, 'through the table' and 'tabled coins across'

The particulars depend on your style, skill level and interest.

Enjoy.

My hands are sweaty when performing as well.
I just kept practicing until the muscles were strong enough to overcome it.

Find a routine that DOES require a minimal amount of classic palming and start there and use that routine.

Not being able to palm a coin not only comes from the moisture but can also come from tension in your hands from being nervous to whatever degree, and other potential physiological changes during performance.

Basically, there is a difference that you're not used to that causes the problem. That is what you need to get used to dealing with.

As you get more confident in your palming, your hands will be more relaxed, less sweaty (probably) and you'll be able to do it.

I would not recommend stopping with coins and starting with bottle caps. Just suck it up and keep at it.

Most importantly, find that routine, get good at it, and perform it as much as possible and you'll get over the hump and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

It might take a while but what doesn't.

Thanks all.

I don't want to be boisterous here, but I think practically you cannot palm an object for long, do a servante, or "shift" (pivot) to transfer the coin somewhere. In easier terms it's called acquitment.

But I don’t know, maybe baby powder will help you.

Me too, until very recently. The following meds will usually totally alleviate: (1) Inderal - blood pressuring lowering, but many performers use it to stop all signs of anxiety, not necessarily the anxiety.
(2) longer acting; but need take for 14 days for full action, any of the Anti-Depressant SSRI (Lexapro, Celexa, Paxil [rather heavy])
3 - Dermatologists can prescribe Dryal( I think that is the name) used as an antiperspirant for the hands. I think it takes a day or two for full effect and then one tapers off usage. (3) For years, I found the only truly effective (but it worked) item was an electric item on the market (see ads in New Yorker maybe) where a low voltage charge was sent through a wet pad or cotton/wool. One kept one's hand on it for 15 minutes. Within a week, you could stop using it for a month.
Marty K

I recall Charlie Kalish had very dry hands towards the end of his life. He got his coins re-milled, and had to be very careful with cards. Is this what you want? The short-term gains of using medications usually have long-term side effects. You would probably be better off doing the ten-minute act with live goldfish before using SSRIs and such to change yourself.

3--Dermatologists can prescribe Dryal. It is called DRYSOL and I love it. Not for my hands but my underarms. I would sweat with antiperspirant on after a shower in 40 degrees...NOT ANY MORE...

Jeff

The "bottle-caps" post sounded… very intriguing.
Can you guys name any routine that can be done with bottle caps or just a cap besides chink-a-chink?

There are also some manipulation lotions on the market that keep your hands dry. The lotions also give your hands a minor stickiness to aid in palming. These are always good to take a look at and see if they help with the whole sweaty palm thing. Hope this helps.

-Bill

There’s a future in bottle cap magic!
They’re about the same size, when flattened, as the (extinct) half dollar and are a lot cheaper for signed coin routines.
You can have a selection of caps of the same brand or different brands depending on the needs of the routine.
And they grip the palm like some rock climbing tool!
Of course, they have their disadvantages, the lack of weight and the awful tinny noise they make, but as with most coin magic it's down to the routine to make it work.

Obviously I wont get rid of my coin-unique just yet.

Try U. F. Grant's Manipulation lotion at Stevens Emporium. It helps me.

Hi undodog, I too have a history of this affliction. I have found that soaking my hands in ice water prior to performing then drying them thoroughly has allowed my hands to remain dry for up to 30 minutes at a time. While performance anxiety can be a problem for many of us, I know for myself that for some reason my hands are just more prone to perspire. I carry a small towel in my kit for shows and use it periodically as needed. Hope these thoughts are helpful. Jess

Excellent tips there. Cheers everyone!

I don't really have this problem, but I know someone that does and his solution was to use regular unscented antiperspirant. The white cheep stuff, not the gel. But, if memory serves me correctly the active ingredient is zinc-oxide. Lifeguards use this stuff on their nose for sunburn.

I am lucky. I find that when practicing my hands are too dry if anything. When performing they get warm, damp and excellent for magic, However they do get clammy after a while and so ...

I carry a flannel in my case.

There, the secrets finally out. I feel so much better now!

Count Zapik

I have posted this qustion in other forums, but I will post it here too. Does anyone have any recepies or solutions for homemade manipulation lotion to give my hands a tackiness?

Crazy glue!That's all I have to say.Crazy glue.
ace_up_sleeve79

A spray de-orderant works well on those sweaty hands!

Mike