Circuit Basher, I use a similar technique for cold starting the Archer which I fly occasionally from Barton.
It has a rather lazy starter(engineers have looked at it & the battery many times but it always behaves the same), as well as being a bit temperamental on cold and warm starts.
I've found the almost guaranteed way to get a quick fire-up in the morning is -
prime six pumps
all switches OFF, handswing through 6 compressions with throttle cracked open a tad.
Jump in, flick the switch and she's away first turn.
Once she's warmed up it's a different story - great has to be taken not to flood her on warm starts.
Incidentally, I used to take a masochistic delight in helping people handswing props to start them (on wooden prop PFA jobs mostly). However I gave it up after I got bitten with a backfire by a Luton Minor. Nasty gash, but I was lucky, it fully healed. Others have not been so lucky.
It's a horrible feeling when your hand goes numb and you daren't look at it to see what the damage is.....