You are currently viewing The Righthand Rule Grip
Closed posture (left) vs open posture (right) of the "Righthand Rule" grip

Last Updated on 2021 年 06 月 30 日 by 編輯

We named this alternative grip the “Righthand Rule” grip, after the right-hand rule used in mathematics and physics. The resemblance is obvious, as illustrated by the two pictures shown below.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - Right-hand Rule Illustration - Comparing the chopstick grip to the right-hand rule used in 3D orientation
Righthand Rule Grip (left) vs the 3D orientation rule (right)
Emoji
Thousand ways to use chopsticks - cool guides colors - Righthand rule grip - IMG_2598 - 2pt
Righthand Rule Grip

Righthand Rule vs. Standard Grip

The Righthand Rule grip (below left) looks very similar to Standard Grip (below right). The key difference is that users of Righthand Rule lower the distal knuckle of the middle finger, to take over ring finger’s task. Instead of supporting the bottom chopstick with the ring finger, Righthand Rule relies on the middle finger instead. This has implications for the manipulation of the top chopstick. The tip segment of the thumb now pulls double duty. It becomes slanted in order to support the top chopstick from both the bottom and from the side, pushing the stick against the index finger.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13 - Righthand Rule grip - Compared to Standard Grip - Closed posture - IMG_8164 IMG_7431
Righthand Rule Grip (left) vs Standard Grip (right) – Closed posture

Righthand Rule is unable to extend tips of chopsticks apart for more than the length of the thumb (below left), compared to Standard Grip (below right). This is a physical limitation that it cannot circumvent. Without the middle finger providing the upward lift past the height of the thumb, as is the case with Standard Grip, it can only pry the top chopstick up using the thumb. Thus the limit.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13 - Righthand Rule grip - Compared to Standard Grip - Open posture - IMG_8164 IMG_7430
Righthand Rule Grip (left) vs Standard Grip (right) – Open posture

The middle finger’s duty shifts from the top chopstick to the bottom chopstick. Video clips below highlight ramifications of this one small change. Without three fingers to maneuver the top chopstick, it is hard to leverage principles of the planetary gear train. The index finger and the thumb are still attempting to twirl the stick in Righthand Rule (below left), but they lacks range, precision, dexterity and speed. A proper tripod hold in Standard Grip (below right) unlocks all of these.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13 - Righthand Rule grip - Snapping air - regular playback - IMG_8164 640x301 15fps
Alternating motion of Righthand Rule
Chopsticks Marcosticks - Standard Grip-Large movements-slow and fast-snapping air-normal speed-IMG_7971 640x334 15fps
Standard grip – slow and fast snaps

Closing salad tongs

Like many alternative grips, Righthand Rule is able to exert considerable power when closing salad tongs. But it does not derive power mainly from the tripod hold as Standard Grip does. Righthand Rule has only a bipod hold. Observe positions of rear ends of chopsticks in the Righthand Rule video (below left), and compare them to those in the Standard Grip video (below right). Note where rear ends rest on the base of the index finger and on the purlicue in both videos. In Righthand rule, the bottom chopstick rests on the base of the index finger. In Standard Grip, the bottom chopstick rests where the purlicue meets the base of the thumb, in what we call a 1-on-2-support.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13-Righthand Rule grip - Closing salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8165 480x603 10fps
Righthand Rule
Chopsticks Marcosticks - Closing salad tongs with inward medium compression - IMG_3374 320x217 15fps
Standard Grip

Righthand Rule is unable to keep the two chopsticks separated without a tripod hold. Thus it resorts to compressing the two sticks between the first two segments of the index finger, against the middle finger knuckle and the base of the index finger. Many alternative grips resort to this strategy as well, even though some shift rear ends of both sticks toward the purlicue instead. These grips include Forsaken PinkyIdling Thumb, and most grips that derive from Idling Thumb, such as Chicken ClawsDangling Stick, and Muppet Grip.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13-Righthand Rule grip - Closing salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8165 480x603 10fps
Righthand Rule
Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 14 - Forsaken Pinky grip - Closing salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8176 480x450 10fps
Forsaken Pinky
Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13-Righthand Rule grip - Closing salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8165 480x603 10fps
Righthand Rule
Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 2, closing salad tongs, Idling Thumb Grip, IMG_7447 480x515 10fps
Idling Thumb

Prying open salad tongs

Righthand Rule has almost zero extension power (below left). Again, this is because it lacks proper support from the bottom, for the top chopstick, as demonstrated by Standard Grip (below right). When prodded, a Righthand Rule user may attempt to pry open the two sticks using the thumb on the top chopstick, and the pulp of the middle finger on the bottom chopstick. This effectively turns Righthand Rule into the Turncoat Grip, a grip that sits between Standard Grip and Beetle Mandibles.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13 - Righthand Rule grip - Opening salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8170 480x603 10fps
Righthand Rule
Chopsticks Marcosticks - Opening salad tongs with forceful outward extension - IMG_3375 320x344 15fps
Standard Grip

This coping strategy is similar to that adopted by users of Forsaken Pinky, when they similarly find themselves unable to pry open salad tongs. A different finger (ring finger) is used (below right), but the concept is the same.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 13 - Righthand Rule grip - Opening salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8170 480x603 10fps
Righthand Rule
Chopsticks Marcosticks - User 14 - Forsaken Pinky grip - Opening salad tongs - regular playback - IMG_8175 480x444
Forsaken Pinky

Influence from instructions on wrappers

Just like the Vulcan Grip, Righthand Rule is often adopted by adult learners of chopsticks. We think that the ubiquitous “how-to” instructions printed on chopstick wrappers have something to do with the prevalence of this grip among adult learners. Just examine figures shown in the back of the following chopstick wrapper.

Disposable - Chopsticks-Wrapper/Sleeve - Instructions - cDc-0383 - cs-e-large - Righthand Rule Grip
Chopstick instructions on the back of a disposable chopstick wrap (cDc-0383)

We have enlarged the three figures shown in the instruction for clarity. These figures do not show the Standard Grip. They show the Righthand Rule grip instead.

Disposable - Chopsticks-Wrapper/Sleeve - Instructions - cDc-0383 - cs-e-large - Righthand Rule Grip - Shuffled figures for examination
Misleading figures shown on the back of the wrapper (cDc-0383)

Here we show the last illustration from the wrapper next to a picture of the Righthand Rule grip. They look alike.

Chopsticks Marcosticks - Figures on the back of a wrapper vs. the Righthand Rule grip (cDc-0383)
Figures on the back of a wrapper vs. the Righthand Rule grip (cDc-0383)

That being said, we should note that there is yet another alternative grip which looks not only like the illustration, but is virtually identical to it. That is the Flexed Middle variant (below left) of the Finger Pistol grip.

Marcosticks - User16 - Finger Pistol variant 2 Flexed Middle - Compared to Righthand Rule - tilted - IMG_3502-IMG_8164-chopsticks
Flexed Middle variant (left) vs Righthand Rule (right)

Not all chopstick wrappers come with incorrect instructions or figures. But enough of them do. Here is another wrapper with misleading figures.

Chopstick wrapper instructions showing Righthand Rule grip, by u_Spock Vulcan
Misleading figures shown on the back of a wrapper (u/Spock_Vulcan)
Marcosticks - Chopstick wrapper instructions showing Righthand Rule grip (u/Spock_Vulcan) - compared to actual grip by User25 Lightsaber chopsticks - u_just45un
Figures on the back of a wrapper vs. the Righthand Rule grip (u/just45un)

The hilarious chopstick video from the Corridor channel on YouTube shows the following chopstick wrapper. It features a person with only 4 fingers holding chopsticks using the Righthand Rule grip. Ironically, the protagonist in the video actually wields the Vulcan Grip.

Corridor - How to Pick Up ANYTHING with Chopsticks - Chopstick wrapper showing Righthand Rule - four fingers only - scaled
Wrapper showing the Righthand Rule grip for a user with only 4 fingers

Righthand Rule in the wild

Plenty of websites show this alternative grip as well. For instance, the Kwik-Stix FAQ page shows a user wielding their ingeniously-modified chopsticks with the Righthand Rule grip.

kwik-stix - promotion pic - cropped and reduced - fair use - showing Righthand Rule grip
Kwik-Stix ad showing Righthand Rule grip

Below is a short video clip showing Nama Japan picking up thick noodles with Righthand Rule grip. You can see the rest of this video on his Ebisu Ramen Tour.

The “Machines” learning course at Fact Monster is another example. The “Machines” article incorrectly explained the mechanical advantage of chopsticks, as everyone did in the past before marcosticks.org came along. But that is not the point here. Note how Righthand Rule is featured in its illustrations.

From: https://i.infopls.com/images/ency196levers003.jpg. Incorrect chopstick grip used to illustrate the third class lever. Image reduced to 50% for fair use.
Incorrect textbook example of chopstick leverage

Variations of Righthand Rule

A variation of Righthand Rule with a bent thumb is shown below. This variant shares the same “bent thumb” posture as deployed in Count-to-4 and Count-to-kehkuh.

This user uses Standard Grip for picking up light objects, and switches to Righthand Rule, to better hold onto objects. According to the user they are not able to properly apply compression forces with Standard Grip. They find better purchase and dexterity with the Righthand Rule, and with a bent thumb.

Marcosticks - User21 - Righthand Rule grip - Count Dooku lightsaber chopsticks - bent thumb - u_brainpogo-uoq2g1b2uaq41 - chopsticks
Righthand Rule with a bent thumb (u/brainpogo)

In time, we will write an article about this bent-thumb phenomenon. We have observed that may people find Standard Grip and its awkward thumb pose difficult and uncomfortable to wield. We think some people have anatomical differences that make it nearly impossible for them to ever adopt Standard Grip.

Connections to the Lateral grip family

The largest chopstick grip family has a special connection to Righthand Rule. This grip family is the Lateral chopstick grips. The family includes classic swing variants such as Lateral Chick, Lateral Squid, and Lateral Gangnam Style. There are also variants sporting sideway swing and underswing. Then there are hybrids such as Lateral Turncoat.

All Lateral grips share one common trait. That is, their Compression posture closely resembles Righthand Rule. The picture below left shows a typical Compression posture of a Lateral grip. Note how similar it is to the Righthand Rule picture, shown below right.

Marcosticks - User36 - Lateral Turncoat - pos4 compressed payload pose - specimen - rotated - IMG_5003
Lateral Turncoat grip: Compression posture
Chopsticks Marcosticks - Right-hand Rule Illustration - Comparing the grip to the right-hand rule used in 3D orientation
Righthand Rule

But there is a key difference between Lateral and Righthand Rule. Note how the first segment of the thumb in Lateral Turncoat shown above left does not touch either chopsticks at all. Only the thumb base is used on Lateral grips. In contrast, the pad of the thumb firmly operates the top chopstick in Righthand Rule shown above right. Lateral grips differ from Righthand Rule, mainly on its disuse of the tip segment of the thumb. This disuse of the thumb makes Lateral grips operate with completely different finger dynamics.

Learn more grips

Users of Righthand Rule can easily add Standard grip to their chopsticking repertoire, by raising distal knuckles of the middle finger and the ring finger. Doing so allows the middle finger to participate in the tripod hold on the top chopstick, and the ringer finger to help with the 1-on-2-support for the bottom chopstick. Learn to twirl chopsticks, if you are interested.

Taiwanese: 正手定律

This grip is known as 正手定律 (Chiàⁿ-chhiú tēng-lu̍t) in Taiwanese. It may also be known as 正手法則 (Chiàⁿ-chhiú hoat-chè).

Instagram pictures

#RighthandRuleGrip

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