Question about chopsticks

[baking fool]

When people break apart some disposable chopsticks, WHY ON EARTH do they rub them together?! I use disposable chopsticks a lot & not once have I ever felt the need to do that.

[Maverick2272]

Sometimes when you break them apart, they do so unevenly. Those uneven parts can rub against your skin and be irritating.
That being said, I have never rubbed them together either.

[Katie E]

Never heard of or seen the "rubbing together" of disposable chopsticks. But the reason does make some sense.

Although I just recently learned that proper etiquette for eating communally is that you should use the non-eating end of your chopsticks to remove food from the communal dish/plate/bowl. Makes sense to me.

[kitchenelf]

They rub them together to "rub away" any splinters. Splinters are seen in inferior chopsticks - so when you do that you are telling the sushi chef and those around that you think they have inferior chopsticks - it's NOT a good thing to do. Actually, it's considered extremely rude.

[TATTRAT]

I am trying to start a table side fire.

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by TATTRAT

I am trying to start a table side fire.

LOL - to heat your eel?

[Maverick2272]

Maybe he is at one of those new fangled 'eat in the dark' restaurants?

[buckytom]

if you want to get rid of the splinters, just stick them into the rice bowl when you're not using them...

[Maverick2272]

They are attached at the top, so the only reason I can think of that you would get splinters is if you did as Katie said and turned them around to pick up food from the communal bowl. Then you would be using the end that could have splinters in it. I have never done this, so no problems here!

And if rubbing the splinters off is rude, then wouldn't that be along the same lines as returning a dirty fork? If they serve ones that get splinters, then they deserve to get pointed out for how cheap they are, LOL.

[GB]

Kitchenelf hit the nail on the head. It is not a polite thing to do.