Stairway to Heaven

Spintop: customized Hollow Point (with bulldog cap)

Description: Throw a hard boomerang to your left (non-throwing) hand. Wrap the string clockwise (as seen looking from the hand towards the elbow) around the right arm using a scooping motion. Wrap the string cw around the tip of the top using your right arm. Holding the end of the string between fingers on your left hand, separate the arms to tighten the string and start a wire-walker. Walk the top between the arms and up the right arm corkscrew. Land it on the hand.

Advice: Controlling the tension on the string is critical and it varies along the trick. Too little tension and the spin is lost to slippage and also the top is more likely to escape the bind. Too much tension speeds up the top and it flies away due to centrifugal force.

Notes: The spin energy is consumed raising the top so you need to start with a strong boomerang and prepare the wrap fast before it looses too much spin.

History/Etymology: I first reported this trick on B&S around 2002 and has become my signature trick. At Worlds 04 I got many request for a demo from advanced players. I originally named it Staircase to Heaven, but because of the song everybody calls it Stairway to Heaven.