Host a Spoon Bending Party

May 19, 2011
Christina Schumacher

Spoons and forks bent by my 15-year-old daughter during several spoon bending parties. - Christina M. Schumacher

Set up a spoon bending party and watch your guests react in awe and wonder as they bend spoons through the power of their minds.

Having a party is almost a pastime. We have parties for birthdays, anniversaries, football, graduations and many other occasions, so why not have a party to stretch the imagination of the mind? A spoon bending party is a lot of fun and it is an event that your guests will remember for a long time.

Supplies

To hold a spoon bending party, you will need guests, chairs and spoons. No, you do not have to use your household silverware. Spoons can be found at your local Good Will store or Salvation Army store or you can have your guests bring two or three of their own spoons.

When purchasing spoons, you need to make sure that the slightly curved part of the handle of the spoon, where the bowl of the spoon is connected to the handle, is not too thick and not too thin. You want your guests to have a bit of a challenge in the spoon bending, but you do not want them to become totally frustrated trying to bend a spoon for the first time with a spoon handle that is an inch thick.

Holding the Spoon

It might be a good idea for you to practice bending spoons yourself before hosting your own spoon bending party as your guests will want you to demonstrate how it is done, before they try it themselves.

With one hand, hold your spoon at the base of the bowl with your index finger underneath, positioned right before the curve of the handle, and your thumb running the length of the bowl from tip to base, stopping right before the curved part of the handle. Place the index finger and thumb of your other hand right below the curved part of the handle with your index finger underneath the handle and your thumb pressing against the top of the handle. The curved part of the spoon handle will be directly between your index fingers and your thumbs.

Hold your spoon lightly, as instructed, with no pressure. Concentrate on the curved part of the spoon and repeat the word "bend" either in your mind or out loud. At the party it is more fun to have everyone saying, "bend" out loud, but for your own practice, you can do it quietly.

It Feels Like Liquid

There is only a split second when you will feel, through your fingers and thumbs, the curved part of the spoon become less dense. For some it feels like that part of the spoon has turned to liquid; for others it may just feel as though the spoon has gotten weaker at the curve.

When you feel this change, whatever way you feel it, immediately exert some pressure upward with both of your index fingers while pressing down gently with your thumbs. You are giving the bending some extra help by applying a little bit of pressure, but you are not straining yourself in any way.

If you catch the change in the curved part of the spoon immediately and give it a little help as described, it will bend without any effort from you. You may have to practice a few times to get the feel of the change within the curved part of the spoon handle, but once you do, you will have no trouble recognizing it from that point on.

An Extra Challenge

Once you get the hang of bending spoons in this way, you can add an extra challenge to your spoon bending party. Switch your guests to forks. Have them hold a fork at the base of the handle with their thumb and index finger with the tines pointing upward. They will concentrate on the tines of the fork, saying the word "bend" out loud.

This is more difficult and will take some time, as there will be no indication as to when the change takes place in the fork. However, by concentrating and willing the tines to bend, your guests will be amazed as they watch the tines start to move either forward or backward.

A Troubled Guest

If you have a guest or two that just cannot seem to get their spoon or fork to bend, have those people in the group who have been successful gather around the guest who is having difficulty. Do not crowd, but make a circle around the person. Have everyone concentrate on the spoon or fork at the proper spot and say "bend" out loud in unison with the person holding the utensil. This will give your guest an extra boost and allow them to also be successful.

A spoon bending party is a unique way to have a good time and your guests will go home with a prize they created themselves with just the power of their mind.