Now I've seen it all! [X(] Starting with a stick is no more or less safe than with a starter. In fact, I see way more unsafe starts from people with starters than from those who use a stick or glove. Examples include a person who sits cross legged on the ground with the plane in one hand, starter in the other, and the prop arc facing his body (he won't listen to suggestions that this is unsafe) and many people standing in the prop arc and leaning over the plane to start it.

If you look into the reports of serious prop injuries, you'll find that nearly all were AFTER the engine was already running and happened when reaching across the prop, from an unsecured airplane getting loose, etc.