Every degree has a grip (and a step and a word). These ‘secret handshakes’ captivate outsiders. On old (and sometimes more recent) Masonic charts you can sometimes see two holding hands. When they are just two hands shaking, it is somewhat likely to be a reference to the Odd Fellows, but with some added detail, such hands can refer to a certain degree.
The Book Of The Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite (1884) Charles McClenachan (detail)