Oh hey piccolo, didnt realize you were in here.
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Thanks for posting this. I was just wondering a couple nights ago if people still did this. I remember back in the OG 1.0 days people were getting upwards of 8 tops out of a single FIM. The writeup is still in the growfaq here, but to my knowledge the original pics were lost.
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That’s correct! I’ve got 6 tops before but usually just 4. I remember posting about this back in the day on the original OG. I think the first time I ever did this was about 20 yrs ago. I feel like if you’re going to top might as well get more bang for your buck!! Thanks for looking and much love!
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Boy am I glad I read this. I was gonna do some topping today but something came up. Thanks @piccolo
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Thanks for the reminder 
I used to do this all the time had great success with my thumb nail and forefinger… Not sure why I stopped 
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Just saw we do have a version of the original FIM FAQ with pics.
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bringing back memories!!
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I’d like to see follow up pics. It seems as if FIM often results in the new tops being different lengths and some new leaves having short leaflets (not a full fingered leaf). Ive seen FIM work and thanks for this thread. Though most of the time I find the new growth disfigured.
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That def does happen and in fact I messed up a couple myself on this round. I’ll post pics of both the ones that were perfect and the ones that got cut to close and messed up one or both of the tops.
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No you can get up to 8. I’ve gotten as many as 6 tops, but usually I get 3-4.
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Thats pretty sweet! Thx
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You can carefully spread the little leaves apart before cutting if you don’t want them to grow out half size and looking funky but it doesn’t hurt if you don’t.
I just pinch them off with my thumbnail and get 8 out of ten so it’s not hard to do. If you cut too low then you have a normal topping so no big deal. cut too high and you just get those funky looking leaves and no extra tops.
Good luck!
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Your internode spacing has got to be almost non-existent to get more than 4 tops. That diagram I posted shows what is really going on and how the nodes are so close it looks like they are on the same level when they grow out but they really aren’t. Works like the same level tho.
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It has more to do with your cut placement. At the new growth node site there is no internode spacing. The plant will try to survive and continue to grow, and if you leave enough material it will!
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Same as the one I just posted above but chopped off. Grab that one of mine.
I got shitloads of all these kinds of diagrams etc. Been collecting them for ages. lol
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What? No it’s a screenshot of yours but I edited it to add multiple levels of where you could cut to produce different outcomes when FIM’ing. Zoom in to the pic where it shows the FIM cutting site. 
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I didn’t see those but I don’t believe it will make any difference to the outcome. It certainly won’t produce more tops than what there are nodes directly under the tip.
There’s really only one place to make the cut and that’s the right place. those lines of yours might show a range of where it should work but it’ll be the same thing if it works right.
I’ve only done 500 or so FIMs in the last 20 years so maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think so.
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So basically your argument is it’s impossible to get more than 4 tops. Am I hearing you correctly? Since you, personally, have never been able to accomplish this… you’re saying it’s impossible.
While I appreciate your input that’s simply an argument from personal incredulity. Much love dude. 