Do You French Blow?

Stich wrote:FACT: No one knows what you are talking about.

I know exactly what you are talking about.

1: Yes either blow or slap it off on my pant leg.
2: Because it's a habbit, because I keep a lot of chalk in my chalk bag and if there is too much on my hand it gets slick.
3: Sport, Trad, Boulder, Ice, Mixed, and Plastic... everything but Aid

I never blow at my partner, though I have been diagnosed sever chalkinhilationitus from my clouds.

Been doing it for a while, I usually wipe my hand on my pants/bandana (whichever is less drenched in sweat), chalk up, then blow the excess chalk off. I'm glad this technique has a name that I can now make fun of..

1. Yes
2. improves friction/looks badass
3. sport/trad

1) Yes
2) To remove excess chalk improving friction
3) Everything

I am convinced it helps achieve maximum friction. Obviously if you had a 1/4" thick layer of chalk on your hands you would have no friction. Its all about finding just the right amount of chalk.

I dont use chalk, its bad for the environment.

1) Sometimes
2) I want the minimum effective dose of chalk
3) Trad, just breaking into sport, bouldering

I pretty much only use the "French Blow" when my feet are on the ground, and also mostly on plastic (but that could be because I feel the need to chalk more indoors, does anyone else get this?). I feel that it's a technique that leaves just enough chalk to deal with the moisture and no more, but I'm usually more concerned with other things once I'm in the air. I still usually shake my hands a bit after chalking up...similar effect maybe.

Yes.
I don't know why really... I guess I saw Sonnie Trotter do it and then I started doing it for some reason. I suppose it removes the loose chalk of your fingers?

sometimes
i don't know
easy trad (mostly)

I thought I read somewhere that it improves grip... And then I found it:
from Rock & Ice
"Now, here’s a little trick that’s worth the price of the magazine alone: Next time you chalk up, blow on your fingers before you grip the rock. This may look Froggy, but the blowing off of residual chalk will leave your fingers with just the perfect amount, and the molecules of spit on your fingers will actually improve your grip. Don’t believe me, just ask Tommy Caldwell. Next!"

1. Yes
2. I clap instead (it juices me up)
3. All of it

1. Yes
2. To leave less chalk on the rock
3. Rock climbing, have found chalk isn't so useful for ice. (New picks destroy my chalkbags)

I climbed with this one girl...she would put the white powder on her palm. Then organize into neat thin lines on her palm and snort it. She would crush after that...must have kept her hands super dry!

I french blow all the time. It helps me to crush routes and piss on projects.

1. Yes
2. Because I do
3. Everything on rock, besides aid

Hmm, I don't think I have ever tried this, but I am in France right now so I will try it out and see if the locals take notice or if I fit in better, And if I miraculously start sending harder, I will keep you all posted!

I don't use chalk
It's ugly on the cliffs and I'd rather climb a route without all the holds tagged...

Derek used to do it all the time; that makes it okay, and, a priori, not French.

Mark Roth wrote:the molecules of spit

Well if there's a scientific explanation then I guess everyone not euro-blowing (not french-blowing btw) is doing it wrong.

Or maybe there's a reason the meat slab who wrote the R&I tip works for a climbing rag and not the Journal of Advanced Friction.

Well if you wanna be a normal person just slap that chalk off on your pants, has worked for me for years.

1> No
2> I use the Eco-ball and it just saps the moisture out of my hand without all the residue. No need to blow.
3> All-arounder

I've used regular chalk recently and find it "greasy" compared to the eco-ball stuff. YMMV.

this is a very important thread.

your mom french blows