Been there, done that. You’ve all seen it. Tom Burgoon first showed it to me when I was a teenager.

Most versions use a nail. This one uses a Bic pen.

It’s got a few things going for it. First of all, pulling a Bic pen out of your pocket is a lot less suspect than carrying around a nail.

Second, the “bend” goes up, away from the force of gravity. Of course, this would only matter to an audience of magicians who’d seen the other versions.

The instructions are relatively clear, except that they tell you to hold the pen in your right hand, when the pictures show it being held in the left.

The cleanup isn’t as straightforward as I would like. You need more cover than previous versions.

Oh, and I wouldn’t hand the pen out. Due to the gaffed nature, the weight is all wrong... enough so that I think most people would realize something’s a bit out of the ordinary.

If you’re looking for a bit of impromptu bending, give it a shot. Maybe it’ll be your thing.