A pair of Australian friends have broken the world record for endurance handshakes.

Jack Tsonis and Lindsay Morrison clasped hands on Monday morning and started shaking for over 12 hours.

They were trying to raise $10,000 for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Sydney's Wayside Chapel.

Under rules from Guinness, the endurance handshakers were not required to look each other in the eye or exchange pleasantries during the attempt.

However, they had to maintain a good grip on each others palms and continuously move them up and down… even when one of them was going to the toilet.