Last Updated on August 21, 2021 by Staff
The Vulcan Grip is probably one of the the most common alternative grips adopted by adult learners. Here at marcosticks.org we have a theory about why that is the case. More on that later.
For now, let’s talk etymology. So you probably guessed that this grip is named after the Vulcan salute 🖖, as demonstrated below.
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Also known as “pulp-first grip”
What you don’t know is that we originally named this grip the “Pulp-first” grip, before we changed our mind.
Recall that in Learn to Use Chopsticks, the “distal knuckles” of the middle finger and of the ring finger were explicitly called out, for their role in chopstick placement and twirling. In the image below, two versions of the closed posture are shown. The Pulp-first (Vulcan Grip) version is on the left, and the Standard Grip version is on the right. Note that in the standard grip version to the right, the top chopstick rests partially on the distal knuckle of the middle finger. The bottom chopstick rests partially on the distal knuckle of the ring finger. Now, find their equivalent in the Pulp-first version to the left.
That’s right, people who use the Pulp-first grip favor pulp over knuckles. This alternative grip supports the two chopsticks using pulp of fingers, instead of their distal knuckles.
This seemingly-small change causes far-reaching consequences. For one, it limits how wide chopsticks can be extended apart, at the open posture. In the image below, two versions of the open posture are shown. The Pulp-first (Vulcan Grip) version is on the left, and the Standard Grip version is on the right. Note the difference in the maximum pitch angle between these two grips.
Straight fingers
The following slow-motion clip offers a hint on why the pitch angle is severely limited. The Vulcan Grip requires that all fingers be extended straight. Otherwise, the thumb cannot securely hold both chopsticks in place. Compare this to the Standard grip, where all fingers except the thumb are curled at the closed posture. It is possible to curl these fingers in the standard grip, because the two knuckles offer normal forces facing toward the thumb. In contrast, pulp surfaces in the Vulcan Grip offer normal forces perpendicular to what is needed, when these fingers are curled. These fingers are therefore extended straight, in an attempt to attenuate the difference.
Range and speed
Because all fingers are always extended straight in the Vulcan Grip, it is not possible to perform the air quote gesture which is a key factor in the manipulation of chopsticks. As a result, tips of chopsticks cannot be extended far apart. This limit in extending tips can be improved in theory, by moving the hand rearward. But there is a reason why users of the Vulcan Grip tend to grab chopsticks in the middle or the forward sections. This grip produces very little compression (clamping) force, due to the misaligned normal forces. Moving the hand rearward will reduce the leverage, further weakening the clamping force.
Compare the above video clip of the Vulcan Grip to video captures of the Standard grip below. The left clip plays back at normal speed. The right clip is played back in slow motion. Note the difference in speed and in power.
1-on-2-support for bottom chopstick
Similarly, the bottom chopstick is hard to secure with the Vulcan Grip. This is partially due to the same issue of misaligned normal forces. It is further exacerbated by the unusual angle of the thumb, with respect to the bottom chopstick, compared to the Standard grip. The straightened index, middle and ring fingers force the thumb to angle downward, aligning closer to the main axis of the bottom chopstick, than is the case with the Standard grip. Recall that the bottom chopstick is held by the base of the thumb against the distal knuckle of the ring finger and the purlicue in the Standard grip. In the Vulcan Grip, this arrangement is severely weakened.
Compare the above clip to the same alternating motion with the Standard grip shown below. Pay attention to distal knuckles. They are instrumental for securing both top chopstick and bottom chopstick.
Cupped Vulcan
There exists another alternative grip which may be confused with this “plain” Vulcan grip. If you cup your hand as shown in the following two pictures, and you pick up food with the palm facing downward, then you are not using plain Vulcan. You wield Cupped Vulcan, a grip with its own completely different finger dynamics.
Influence from instructions on wrappers
We have mentioned earlier a theory about why this alternative grip is commonly found among adult learners. We think it has to do with the ubiquitous disposable chopsticks found at numerous Chinese restaurants all over the world, and specifically with the instruction set printed on the back the wrapper.
These terse instructions are surprisingly accurate. The phrase “hold it as you hold a pencil” really nails it. But the same cannot be said of the drawings. These drawings suck. And the same drawings have been used, copied and reproduced in countless generations of these wrappers for decades without any enhancements. They show straight, extended fingers in all three pictures. They also show the same severely-slanted thumb as discussed earlier. If an adult learner emulates exactly the finger posture illustrated, she or he can be excused for adopting the Vulcan Grip, as shown below.
Shown below is yet another chopstick wrapper, with instructions on how to use chopsticks.
The instruction panels are rearranged and enlarged below. In this version, fingers are extended even straighter than the earlier version. The thumb is again severely slanted.
Compare figures from the instructions above to actual pictures of the Vulcan Grip (below left), and to actual pictures of the Standard Grip (below right). The Vulcan posture is very similar to what instruction figures depict.
With the above said, we should point out that there are alternative grips that are literal embodiments of these drawings. These are the Finger Pistol grip and the Turncoat Grip.
Influence from online instructions
A search online for “how to use chopsticks” yields plenty of instructions that teach away from the standard grip. One of the most common alternative grip actually has users support the bottom chopstick with the middle finger! But that is another article on yet another alternative grip, for another day. The second most common alternative grip is the topic at hand, the Vulcan Grip. Following is an image from the article Here’s the right way to use chopsticks at Mashed, on the first page of image search.
This one is on the first page of Youtube search: How to use choposticks – Short and easy tutorial.
Hilarious Vulcan grip video
The hilarious chopstick video from the Corridor channel on YouTube reveals that the protagonist wields the Vulcan Grip. Months after we first named this grip “Pulp-first”, we came across this video. The staff unanimously voted then to rename the grip.
Watch this hilarious video yourself:
Lifelong practitioners
We first wrote this article 18 months ago. Since then we have come to understand that Vulcan is not only popular for new learners, but also widely found in lifelong practitioners. We have now documented many lifelong practitioners wielding this grip. Following are key postures illustrated by one such practitioner: 1) Compression posture, 2) Closed posture, 3) Open posture.
The next practitioner has incorporated the “abutting posture” from Lateral Classic grips into his repertoire, shown below. Key postures demonstrated by this practitioner are, from left to right: 1) Abutting posture, 2) Compression posture, 3) Closed posture, and 4) Open posture.
Following is a video clip showing the full range of alternating motion from Practitioner 40.
Vulcan.5
(2021-02) Since the discovery of Double Tripod (a variant of Standard Grip), we have been looking for more variants like it. Our working conjecture was that most thumb-using grips have a theoretical variant where the bottom chopstick is supported by a Bottom Tripod.
We found it in Vulcan.5, a variant of Vulcan what modifies Vulcan in the same way Double Tripod modifies Standard Grip. We call it the “.5” variant. By “.5” variant we refer to a modified finger support for the bottom chopstick where both the ring finger and the pinky provide support, instead of a single ring finger support. We have now incorporated this “.5” factor into our Classification of Chopstick Grips.
Take a look at the following grip. It is a variation of Vulcan Grip, where the bottom chopstick is not only supported by the ring finger. Instead, it employs a tripod hold similar to Double Tripod, for the bottom chopstick.
Here is yet another view of the same Vulcan grip variant.
Learn new grips
We consider the Vulcan Grip a close relative of the Standard grip. Other than the pulp-over-knuckle preference, everything else in this alternative grip continues to pretend to follow the Standard grip. For instance, the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger attempt to twirl the top chopstick based on principles of the planetary gear train – they just can’t move much due to the extended fingers.
Users of this alternative grip can add the Standard grip into their chopsticking repertoire, by simply learning to substitute pulp with distal knuckles. They will immediately see drastic improvements on chopstick reach, power and dexterity.
Taiwanese: 某牽
This grip is known as 某牽 (Bó͘-khàn) in Taiwanese. This is a transliteration of the English word “Vulcan”.
阿勇 from 阿勇台語 Aiong Taigi and 食飽未Chia̍h pá ·bē! was instrumental in getting both pe̍h-ōe-jī and 漢字 representations of this grip to be perfect.
