Landroger,
Back in the '70s I did start Chipmunks, Stampes and Tigers a few times by prop-swinging. I found the position that the prop stopped in (2 o'clock) made it easy to use my right arm, but I see what you mean about the 'backhanded swing'. I must say I was always very careful (and a little scared). There was a horror story doing the rounds then about a poor guy who walked towards the entry door of an Aero Commander with the engines running and got minced by the prop. They found one of his hands on the hangar roof.
The trickiest part was taking a passenger for a flight and having to brief them on the operation of the cockpit controls. Always made sure we had chocks installed and brakes on for that exercise!