![\"Comic](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Balance-Salt-Shaker-2.jpg\")
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An essential part of being an awesome uncle<\/a> is having a repertoire of tricks and jokes that will amaze your nieces and nephews, and crack them up. So from time to time we\u2019ll be offering you current and future uncles out there a tutorial on some gags that\u2019ll have them thinking you\u2019re the coolest dude in the world. Check out all our Cool Uncle Tricks.<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n This is the perfect cool uncle trick for when you’re out to eat with a niece or nephew. It’s a pretty simple stunt to boot — the only hard part is initially balancing the salt shaker in the salt; at first it will take some practice and persistence, but soon you’ll get the hang of finding the sweet spot. You really only need a single grain of salt to support the shaker — it’s pretty nifty.<\/p>\n You can show your nieces and nephews how the trick is done from the start, but to up the “Hey, how’d you do that quality?” get the shaker set and blow away the salt while they’re distracted or in the restroom. When they return, it’ll look like the shaker is magically defying the laws of gravity. <\/p>\n Once you’ve got balancing the shaker down, you can try this very same trick with all kinds of things: a half-empty soda can, a bottle of steak sauce, the napkin container. You can even surprise the waiter by leaving a mysteriously balanced dollar coin as part of their tip.<\/p>\n 1: Pour a little pile of salt on the table or other flat, hard surface.<\/p>\n 2: Balance the shaker in the salt, keeping your hand steady, and pressing the shaker into the salt.<\/p>\n 3: Once the shaker feels “set,” let go, and carefully blow away the salt from the base of the shaker. Voila!. It will stay suspended at an angle.<\/p>\n Like this illustrated guide? Then you\u2019re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness<\/em><\/a>! Pick up a copy on Amazon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n