How to sign “Metal” in ASL
The BSL sign for “Metal” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Hook your dominant index finger over your thumb to form an X handshape, folding the remaining fingers down.
- Place the hooked X hand just under your chin, close to the front of your throat.
- Flick the X hand forward about three inches with a quick wrist motion, then repeat the flick once more.
- Angle your palm slightly downward so the hooked X points forward as it slides away from your throat.
- Hold a neutral, matter-of-fact expression — this sign simply names the material.
Practice tip
The same flicking X also signs steel — it covers the whole metal family.
Fingerspell “Metal”
Letter by letter — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
Text-based guide researched from established ASL references (Lifeprint, university and public-health materials) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade.