The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #138956   Message #3183851
Posted By: Crowhugger
08-Jul-11 - 01:56 PM
Thread Name: BS: Left-Handism
Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
Oh yes, to answer the OP. Although for some reason I noticed it more with the scissors. I adapted early to the spoon thing by approaching the drawer from the right-hand side instead of from the front--solves the problem completely. But hey no such issues for me in the last 20+ years, ever since I married a southpaw.

Heh, heh, it was downright satisfying to watch my right-handed mother pause for a long moment to mentally wrap herself around the correct handle direction to put away utensils properly (our utensil drawer has things aligned left-right as with teaspoons rather than front-back like the knives & forks). When I saw her looking a little consterned, my exact words, spoken through my broadest smile, were: Welcome to my home!

Probably my bigger peeve: Power tools, certain saws especially. My sense of self-preservation wants to watch exactly where blade meets material. Table saw and jigsaw for example are not so bad but a circular saw is very awkward, requiring to crane my neck to the left to see the business end of the blade, which means left arm operating the saw ends up in a not-very-practical-or-safe position, more in front of my torso than where it naturally would fall at my left. Similar issue arises with chop saw and radial arm but far less serious because operator is not wielding the weight of the tool. Anyway I avoid circular saw cuts whenever possible.

Yes there are left-handed saws available by special order from manufacturers, but last I checked the price was more than double the regular tool. For now I prefer the work-around: I have someone else make long or difficult cuts. It's not like I'm a regular hobbyist, just now and then for stuff around the house.