The Chinese finger trap is a novelty toy which traps the index fingers of an unsuspecting victim inside a small cylinder. The harder the victim tries to escape, the more the finger trap tightens. Chinese finger traps are normally made of bamboo, a material that does not stretch, but they can also be made with fabric, ribbon, or even paper. The trick to escaping the finger trap is to push the ends of the trap inward, toward the middle, thereby enlarging the openings.