Comments on: A Manly Handshake: An Illustrated Guide

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:43:50 +0000

I think the hand shake is becoming less prevalent due to hygiene concerns (door handles, public restrooms, meeting multiple people, bird flu, swine flu.. Etc).
Personally I’m happy about that. It is an uncouth custom. If I’m just meeting someone, it’s self evident I know little about the person(s), and where they’ve been, and they know little about me.
If someone proffers their paw I will acquiesce with what good will I can muster, but I can’t help thinking the individual is inconsiderate, ignorant, or inattentive to hygiene issues.
My preferred tactic is to casually wave, smile, and say hello. it’s almost like Indians saying “How” in the old westerns. When greeting they would raise their hands and solemnly say “How.” I try not to be too solemn.
I think bowing is a pretty good idea too, but I don’t live in Japan.

By: Arnie

Arnie — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:17:15 +0000

It depends a lot where you are, actually. The “limp fish” is commonplace in many regions in Africa, where many hands are shaken throughout the day. Practice the same in, say, the Balkans, where you’re not a real man unless you’re a “man’s man”, and chances are that you won’t be taken very seriously. Some cultural awareness goes a long way. All the best with that, gentlemen. And ladies, indeed.

By: Sweeney

Sweeney — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:22:07 +0000

I was complemented on my firm handshake just today – these illustrated guides are the bee’s knees!

By: J T

J T — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 07:58:09 +0000

Frank was a plumber. Upon our first meeting he tried his Death Grip. My hands are “double-jointed” and as he tried his “specialty”, I just stood there with a look of boredom on my face and remarked “I have all of the time in the world, what about you?”

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 02:03:00 +0000

This guide is all very well, but what I REALLY need is a guide on cheek kissing and hugging!

It seems whenever I’m greeting female friends and acquaintances (especially my wife’s friends), I’m now expected to do some kind of hug and cheek kissing “thing”, which I can never manage to pull of naturally. Is it 1 or 2 cheeks, do lips actually touch cheek, which way to face, how close to get, where do my arms go, do I make a “mwah” noise, eye contact, what do I say?

In comparison, shaking hands is child’s play!

No, I don’t live in Italy, but it just seems to be the done thing in metropolitan life, and growing up in backward old New Zealand hasn’t prepared me for it.

By: Sgt. York

Sgt. York — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:24:37 +0000

you are aware that a handshake means you do not have a gun to use? Then we became less gun friendly and it became a gentleman’s friendly greeting don’t you.

By: Clobster

Clobster — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:51:19 +0000

Shake the snot out of them !!

By: franktc

franktc — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:27:18 +0000

If I want to emphasize the importance of the ‘shake’; I.e., a relative/in-law, I will ‘pat’ the shake with my left hand. Perhaps, the origins of why we handshake would prove interesting. Great site, BTW!

By: Saxon

Saxon — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:22:09 +0000

The nice thing about having a strong grip is that when someone tries the “sudden attack death grip”, you can politely retain your hand in the correct position and look them in straight the eye.

By: stevew

stevew — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 05:14:01 +0000

cool site. A guy gave me the finger grab today. My inner impulse was to pull my hand free and smack him in the jaw with it. But I pulled my hand free and re-grabbed his with a full proper hand shake. He looked down and said he had to go.