I found out this method of serving that is very unorthodox! You raise the shuttle to your waist level, then you wind up your arm so that your hand is slightly above your head, bend your elbow a bit so that your wrist is parallel with the walls. Your fingers should be pointing forward. Now instead of rotating your shoulder and hitting the shuttle, from where your arm is right now, chop the racquet downward so that it scrubs the shuttle. Right before the point of impact, flick your wrist to add a bit more power. Use a lot of power, and if you did it right, you'll look like you were going to clear it, but instead you sent the birdie straight towards their chest/head. It's a weird serve, that takes some practice, but it will surprise your opponent! Anyone who plays table tennis should know about this type of serve. Remeber, you're scrubing the shuttle, not hitting it. So the strings are sliding across the shuttle, as opposed to hitting them directly.
I'm afraid that the "scrub", as you call it, will most likely be a fault, as you risk hitting the feathers before the cork base.
This "unorthodox serve" you describe is illegal. Your racquet must be heading in a forward motion, not side slicing motion. I believe this was outlawed under IBF law a number of years ago. Called a slice service I believe. Cant remember, I'd have to look it up.
ur right kelvin it was made illegal as this serve was very hard to return as the opponent had no control over the bird...ie not much of a rally