BS: Left-Handism

Subject: BS: Left-Handism
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 10:12 AM

Do any other left-handed people get fed up finding that ALL the spoons in a cutlery tray have been placed with the handles pointing to the right?

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Rapparee
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 10:16 AM

Turn the tray around.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 10:33 AM

I'm left handed but usually eat right handed so that wouldn't bother me.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,moira(flyingcat)
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 10:36 AM

I find that, I also find that everyone hangs up shirts the wrong way round with the hook the other way. Most irritating:). Dn't get me started on scissors, cheque books, lots of things in fact !

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 10:41 AM

I understand that about 10 per cent of us are left-handed (I don't believe the people who insist it is 50 per cent).
Perhaps you could persuade them to put 10 per cent of the spoons pointing the other way.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 12:09 PM

What sort of place puts the cutlery on a tray? I'm used to table settings and to cylindrical containers, but not trays.

I've almost never found that being left-handed makes any difference in life.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: frogprince
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 12:30 PM

So get yourself an American cutlery tray; any that I've seen have all the handles pointed toward you, not to the left or the right.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:08 PM

All the trays I know are arranged so that the cutlery lies at 90 degrees to the opening, so handles towards the person who opens the drawer. I don't think that can be particularly American. Is this some fancy high end kitchen design type tray?

As to numbers, I read a piece of research somewhere about lefties, which compared the distribution of human handedness with that of chimps. Apparently, among chimps, about 40% are lefties, 40% righties, and 10% either ambidextrous or ambisinistrous (that's clumsy, with no dominant hand). (I may be wrong about the exact proportions, but you get the idea.) This suggested that humans might not be inheriting lefthandedness, but righthandedness. So the research went on to examine all available members of families with one known lefty. And among the blood relations, the proportions were like those of the chimps. There would be a suggestion that lefthanders would be more flexible in hand use than those who have inherited righthandedness (as opposed to righthanders in lefthanded families, who might also be flexible).

Everyone needs lefthanded nailscissors for cutting their right hand nails. Curiously, I am just watching someone explaining a pair of scissors designed to be used in either hand, and getting it wrong. It is not about the handles. It is about which way the blades cross. With righthanded scissors, the blade on the right lies on top when you put them down, and the blades are pushed together during use. A lefthander gripping these scissors pushes the blades apart, so they don't cut properly. Lefthanded scissors have the left blade on top, so the blades push together when a lefty uses them. I researched this for school, and bought my own for the children to use, with strong words about the right handers not using them. It took years before the school caught up with the idea, even though the teacher in charge of ordering kit was left handed.

In classes I taught the numbers of lefthanders varied between 2 to 6 out of 30, as far as I remember. I'm ambi enough to be able to show children how to write lefthanded, and to know that the instructions for a lefthanded pencil grip were utterly rubbish. You know the weird way left handed bank clerks (and there are a lot of them) hold thier pens, all twisted round like Olivier's arm in Richard III. Not quite as bad as that, but they demanded that the pencil be held at the same angle as if held by a right hander, with the wrist turned back towards the left. Not possible. The idea was that the writing implement was pulled across the paper rather than pushed, but took no regard of anatomy!

Googling suggests that the proportion of lefthanders is about 10%, which would suggest that about 25% or so do not inherit righthandedness. In interactive sports, apparently, lefthandedness is as high as 32%. These proportions are higher than in the past. Apparently. There was a bad bit of research done on ages at death done by finding the proportions of lefthanders in different cohorts, and showing that the older the group, the fewer the lefties. Totally ignoring the way lefties were forced to switch hands. Like the King of the Speech, where the switching may have been implicated in his stammer.

I sometimes wonder how strict righthanders manage with screwdrivers and other tools in odd corners. They must be at a much greater disadvantage than lefthanders.

Source for lefty kit. Left handed things - don't know about cutlery trays.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:15 PM

it isn't myu cutlery, it's my clients!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:21 PM

Very sad for you of course to not have an American style cutlery tray but it could be worse. Remember the old saying, "I was sad because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no dick." Something like that anyway............


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:28 PM

Just to explain to right handers - if spoons are right-hand orientated, to pick one up requires:

(a) Picking the spoon up, passing the handle to the right hand, then back to the left hand.

or

(b) rotating the hand by ninety degrees.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Wesley S
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:30 PM

I've heard that I'm a sitting left-handed person. The only things I do left handed are things you do sitting down. Eating and writing mostly. I throw right handed, bat and shoot right handed ect. I play all of my instruments right handed too.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 01:35 PM

So which hand do you use when you...................uh......................skip it.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: David C. Carter
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 02:26 PM

Wesley S says he plays all his instruments right handed.
And he shoots right handed.

I guess that answers your question Spaw!


David

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 02:49 PM

It's not the spoons so much as the feckin' right-handed butter knives....

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 05:34 PM

"I was sad because I had no shoes. Then I met a man who had no feet, so I took his shoes."

I think that was George Carlin.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 05:52 PM

I have a left-handed cheque book, from Nat West. It's brilliant 'cos it's the right way round, or rather the left way round, which is right, as opposed to wrong when it's the right way round... :0)

I also have a Left Hander's Calendar. -Entry for today is:

"Australian researchers recently published a study that found left-handed people can think quicker when carrying out tasks such as playing computer games or playing sports."

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 08:38 PM

While it sounds terrifying, a large number of left handed people began as twins and absorbed the less developed right handed sibling.

Google it if you have your doubts.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Janie
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 09:34 PM

I worked at a psych. clinic for several years where, astonishingly, 75% of us were left-handed. No wonder we got along so well:^)

I'm curious about several things and would be interested in hearing the observations and experiences of others, particularly lefties.

1. It seems to me that, generally speaking, lefties tend to be more ambidextrous than righties.   I know I am.   Don't know if this from having to adapt to a right-handed world, or because of hard-wiring. Although it feels awkward, I can use eating utensils well enough, or write with my right hand. My handwriting sucks, regardless of which hand I use, unless I write very slowly.

When I print right-handed, I have to pause to think, or I might print a d when I mean to print a b, or a q vs. a g.    (I can also write cursive backwards quite easily - I think I must be brain-damaged.)

2. It seems to me that more lefties do some things right-handed than righties do some things left-handed. I played guitar and autoharp right-handed, and tend to prefer to use utensils like an apple corer/peeler right-handed. Most lefties I know do some things right-handed. Very few righties I know do some things left-handed. (my son is dominantly right-handed but bats and plays guitar left-handed. His handwriting and printing both are terrible.) I often do not understand that I do some things right-handed. I learned only a few years ago that I use the apple-peeler right-handed, when working on a communal project. I was finished with my stent at the gizmo and reversed the tool in preparation for the next person, who I knew was a rightie. It was she who let me know I turn cranks right-handed as she re-affixed the peeler to the countertop in the same direction I had been using it.

3. It seems to me those of us who tend to be more ambidextrous tend not to be as coordinated with either hand as are people whose handedness is more strictly dominant toward either right or left.

4. More lefties than righties have trouble telling left from right in terms of direction. These days, when giving directions, I wave the appropriate hand in the air and say "turn toward whichever hand this is." ( Pre-divorce, I would either look at my hands, or rub fingers together on both hands to feel which hand had rings on it to know what label to use for left and right.)

I never gave any thought to left-handed vs right-handed scissors. I prefer to use my left-hand with scissors, and generally do so.    What is different about left-handed scissors?

My excuse for not knowing left from right goes as follows: In this world designed for predominantly right-handed people, every one knows your right hand is the hand you use the most. Therefore, my left hand is my right hand.

Finally, a colleague in the afore mentioned clinic had a coffee cup on which was printed one of the great but ignored truths of the world.

Everyone is born left-handed. As soon as you commit your first sin, God makes you right-handed.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Rapparee
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 10:37 PM

I went to the shooting range last evening to practice. One of the things I did was to shoot a revolver left-handed (I'm a rightie). It felt "wrong" for a bit, but that passed. I'm trying to be more "coherent" with my left hand -- not because I want to be ambidextrous or anything, but because I think it might be useful to be able to do things with my "weak hand." (BTW, for lefties the "weak hand" is the right.)

My left-handed friend Mary lettered in both rifle and pistol target shooting when she was at University. She's been inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame, no less. SHE keeps her computer mouse set up BACKWARDS so it's all messed up when my wife and I go visit her and try to use her computer!

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 12:01 AM

I read a lot of books, too many to remember all their titles and authors.

Anyhow, some book I once read on handedness and the brain said that studies show that people:

1. may use the left hand to do a task one time and use the right hand another time

2. can't predict accurately which hand they will use to do a task.

(I assume that this doesn't include writing.)

As for telling right from left, I once started a thread about dancing and asked how many people, when asked to move their right foot, know instantly which foot is their right. About 30 people answered, I believe, and only one person said they know right away. The rest of us have to think about it.

I remember a dance session where the first thing the teacher hollered was "Locate your right foot!" She understood people.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Gurney
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 01:12 AM

When I was a recruit, a guy in the party had to have 'L' painted on the toecap of his boot so that he could start with the correct stride.

Wasn't me. Nor was it me that scratched it off and painted 'L' on the other boot.....

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 01:13 AM

I'm right handed & have used my mouse in my left hand since 1994 when I damaged my right hand & arm by computer overuse. Back in the early days of computers in offices many of my colleagues damaged their hands, & one taught me to use mousie in my left to balance use of my hands as I spent most of my day using a financial program that that couldn't use a mouse. My section was understaffed & overworked & one of that tasks that tipped the balance was trying numerous times to correct lines on a one-page 448-line Revenue invoice using arrow down & arrow across to fix the errors! I still remember the sequence - arrow, arrow, arrow down to offending line, arrow across 3 or 4 times to offending column, type in correct figure, enter, arrow down to next line ... Try unsuccessfully to save. Give up for a while & quickly raise lots of 1 or 2 line invoices for clients in the same system.

now where was I?

Trying to use mousie in my left hand was chaotic but I eventually accomplished it & now I can't use it in my right hand.

I solve cutting nails by using a nail clipper!

My sister is left handed & once found a left handed shop & bought some useful stuff. Dunno if it was this one! Check out the pages Links, Left handed writing & Trivia.
One in four Apollo astronauts were left-handed – more than twice the general population.

To open a screw-top jar or bottle, grasp the lid with your left hand and the jar with your right. You will have greater strength due to the stronger muscles used in supination of the forearm (as opposed to the weaker muscles of pronation). It is also sometimes described as the external rotation of the wrist.

Coffin screws are traditionally a left-handed thread.

Bit of trivia not on the site: Japanese kimonos are wrapped left over right - only kimonos used to clothe the dead are wrapped right over left.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 04:34 AM

Janie, your observations fit with the study I wrote about, which suggests that lefties have not inherited a preference for either side but have ended up with left. You might find that righthanded relations are similarly ambidextrous, though haven't bothered to develop the left hand ability as much as a lefty has to develop right hand skills.
My Dad was a lefty, though switched for writing, and used his skills to teach knots in the Engineers as he could demonstrate facing the troops, who did not need to switch round what they saw. I have been able to learn some things lefthanded.
I learned to play bar billiards left handed, because the person who taught me was a lefty and didn't bother to tell me. I only realised I was playing lefthanded when the same person exclaimed that he hadn't known I was a lefty. I wasn't able to switch back, which of course means I'm not lining up with my dominant eye so well.
I did try to explain about the scissors. The link I gave has a page explaining the difference with piccies, which might be easier to understand. The shop also sells lefthanded secateurs, which would have the same problem for a lefthander using them as scissors, though probably not as pronounced.
Something that often puzzles me is the sort of saucepan with a small lip. when designed for righthanders, this lip is on the left of the handle, so you can hold the pan in the right hand and our out towards the left. But this is not very helpful if making something that needs stirring while pouring, like custard, since you need to hold the pan with the left hand and stir with the right. I hadn't noticed this was a righthanded pan, until I saw a lefthanded version advertised. What was in their minds? (Ihave pans with a curved rim all round.)

Penny

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 04:50 AM

Forgot, the art colleague who was left handed had to use a mouse upside down, because she couldn't link hand and screen movement when it was the right way up.

And something that irritates me is lefthanders who use a computer and leave the mouse on the left hand side! Perhaps all users of shared machines should make a point of leaving the mouse in the centre below the screen.

Love the screwdriver in the Aussie shop!

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 05:05 AM

My pan has a lip either side - you can pour and stir at the same time using whichever hand you choose. It didn't come from a specialist shop.
AS for Janie's apple peeler, I have never used one (except a knife), so I have no idea which way round they normally go.
I usually use my left hand for things that require strength, like opening jars, so it is not the "weaker" hand.
Old sewing machines have the handle on the left and the needle on the right, but so did the even older treadle sewing machines, powered by foot action.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 05:34 AM

I've never seen a sewing machine that way round, including all the ones in All Saints windows, and the ones at school, including treadles. and it only occurred to me now how odd that is, to use the right hand for power, and the left for the dextrous stuff.

The Aussie shop has a left handed milk pan, lip on the right. Peelers have the blade positions for it to be dragged by the right hand - doesn't apply to the ones with a swivel blade which works both ways.

I've looked up Donuel's suggestion and found this:


Handedness in twins, abstract of paper

This shows that being a twin does not affect handedness, contrary to a lot of sites quoting 20% of twins being lefthanded, rather than 10% of non-twins.

And this:

Older work, different conclusion

But even this does not give a high enough proportion to explain lefties as those who have absorbed twins in pregnancy.

There is discussion of what Donuel says, but it does not seem to support it. Those who state definitely that it is so do not give their evidence - and a sense of a missing person in one's life is not evidence.

Apparently about 25% of identical twins are mirrored twins. about 25% of all twins are identical. Numbers of twins born appears to be somewhere between 1% and 3% (the page gave rates of 1 in x) Thus the possible number of lefthanded twins born is not very great. Unless the number of absorbed twins is huge, the number of lefthanded survivors (equal to the number of righthanded survivors) would be almost unnoticeable. That some lefthanded posters on some sites know from evidence that they had a twin who did not make it (I think I read about three) does not mean that all lefthanders, or even most lefthanders, are surviving twins.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 06:45 AM

It's not the spoons so much as the feckin' right-handed butter knives....

I don't know about butter knives but I've read of problems with some other knives. At a guess, I think it might apply to saws too - might explain why my hacksawing is so poor.

Apparently what they do is design the blade on some things to compensate for a right handers tendency to lean/pull one way, sort of straightening out their "natural error". Used in the left hand, this compensation will try to pull things further off line.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: autolycus
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 07:59 AM

I'm mostly left-handed tho am to a fair degree ambi.

Just about scissors. I've never had a problem and always use the scissors to hand [sic].

I think the trick is to subtly change pressures in my left 'cutting' hand/fingers till the scissors cut fine. It's something otherwise inexplicable about holding the scissors tightly and adjusting everything adjustable in the hand till it works.



Hope that helps :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: goatfell
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 09:30 AM

I am left handeed but I do somethings right haned.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 10:05 AM

"A large number..", does not imply that all, or even most, lefties were singular surviving twins. It means that many lefties could be a surviving twin and along with the mother, never knew of the gestation of a twin who later vanished.
Sonograms are seldon done in the first 60 days which is the perild of time this natural vanished twin process can take place.

Sorry if you thought that "many" meant all.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 10:12 AM

Muslim left handedness is a very potent cultural phenomenon.

The left hand is reserved for wiping oneself after defecation.
The right hand is reserved for eating.
Offering someone your left hand is tantamount to an insult.

In the west the right hand is most often used for wiping and then we shake hands almost exclusively with the right.



Playing violin is an interesting example of the left hand being reserved for the most minute precise movements to produce the exact tonal increments and intervals while the right hand is relatively stationary as the arm acts as the breath behind the music.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Crowhugger
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 01:56 PM

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 08:00 PM

Example of how I play violin the same as the cello

.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: gnu
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 08:30 PM

Sandra... "I'm right handed & have used my mouse in my left hand since 1994 when I damaged my right hand & arm by computer overuse."

??? Doesn't (most) everyone who is right-handed use a PC mouse with their left hand? Why would anyone not do so? I am right-handed so I mouse with my left hand so that my right hand is free to write or do whatever. Is this common? And, if so, why??? It seems so odd to me. Why would anyone start using a mouse with the hand that they do so many other things with?

Just seems bassackwards to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 09:00 PM

On my own desk at home these days I can be using the mouse with either hand. My phone is to my right and pen and paper are to my left (and I can't write right handed). Phone and mouse = mouse in left hand, pen and mouse = mouse in right hand.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 10:39 PM

Actually, I use a trackball whenever possible. Really cuts down on the ol' carpal crap.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 07:52 AM

gnu - here in Oz all public computers I've seen (in libraries, internet cafes, banks ...) set the mouse on the right side.

All colleagues & friends who I've seen using computers do the same (except for left handers!) My Personal Help Desk always moves mouse to the right when he is working on my computer.

I had a argument with a librarian when I was part of a guided tour of the public library's new computer system (catalogue & internet computers) as every mouse was set on right side of the public info computers & had very short tails so couldn't be moved to the other side of the keyboard. She made a flippant remark when I said I needed to use it in my left hand - so I reminded her that saying left-handers could change their way of working was not appropriate & reminded her of Govt Disability legislation.

Sometime later I noticed the library's computers had longer tails.


Australian info on mouse set up
How to sit at a computer shows mouse on right. See link to 14 tips for avoiding overuse strain - nothing about moving mouse!

I've checked a number of OZ sites & found none that say put mouse on left tho several did say swap hands occasionally)

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Janie
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 08:01 AM

I mostly use the mouse in my right hand, but that may simply be due the way most computers and workstations get set up. I'm pretty comfortable with either hand - although I prefer to use my right hand with the touchpad on my laptop.

Since experience, especially early experience, plays a big role in how the brain gets hardwired, it makes sense that lefties tend to be more ambidextrous in a world designed for right-handed people. Think of all the folks who had the crap beat out of their knuckles by an early teacher until they learned to use a pencil in their right hand. (I'm lucky my mother went to school after my first humiliating day and had a hissyfit in the principal's office.)



How many lefties here, especially those who are fairly ambidextrous, have not-so-good fine motor skills, despite lots of practice. (Think of handwriting or of activities like typing speed and accuracy, or playing an instrument really well.)

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 08:19 AM

Well my handwriting is lousy and I'm poor at a lot of fine things but I'm not sure how much of this is down to differences in motor skills and how much is due to try to mimic right handed ways of doing things with my left hand.

Take writing for example. We are using different muscles. For horizontal movement a right hander is pulling their hand further away from the body. If I write, I am pulling my hand closer to my body.

I'm not really sure about musical instruments although I'm known to use it as an excuse (had I known there was a left handed way of playing, I would have been better) but I'm not sure and there are so many other variables including where we set our standards to compare to and the standards we may need for playing with others, etc. Let's put it this way, I'm capable enough for what I do although I'd love to be Barney McKenna...

It's also difficult to asses with others as so many left handers do play right handed and you don't always know who is what.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Crowhugger
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:32 AM

The first one to teach me a fretted instrument was left-handed and used a right-handed ukelele when I was probably 8 years old. I just assumed that he was showing me left handed, since everything else he (my father) taught me, like throwing a ball and tying certain knots, was left handed. When I discovered we were playing right-handed I felt baffled for a time thinking of long-suffering righties who had to fret with their wrong hand. For a while I believed that every guitar whiz was left-handed and those who knew only a few simple chords were right-handed. Obviously I wasn't considering fingerpicking into the picture.

Goatfell, I too do some things left handed, some things right handed, mostly according to who taught me the skill but sometimes according to the tool, e.g. corkscrew. With the exception of writing and drawing, if my mother or grandmother taught me
..tying shoes
..knitting
..sidestroke
..tennis, I do it right handed.

If my father taught me (except uke/guitar as mentioned) e.g.
..badminton
..fishing
..some knots, I learned it left-handed--well, with a regular rod I cast with left hand then reel right-handed.

Things I taught myself
..crocheting
..tatting
..computer mousing, I do left-handed or both.

Donuel, the violin position you use makes a beautiful visual impact with the cello. I wondered if there is a left-hand/right-hand issue is solves? Also I'm curious, would you play violin in that position with a group of regular violins? I'm thinking of the differences in sound due to the different in bowing.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: gnu
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 12:26 PM

Sandra... thanks for the link.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:41 AM

The Aussie shop sells sets of nail scissors with a pair of each orientation. The difference in using a lefthanded pair in cutting the right hand nails is amazing - no adjustment of grip required. I really would recommend lefties to get a pair for any work. The advantage in children's use is wonderful.

Both shops explain the differences with regard to scissors, knives and secateurs (it's the position of the lock device, as well as the cross over. In scissors, it's not just the cross over and pressure - it is also the way that you can see the line of cutting better.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Crowhugger
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 11:47 AM

That sight line thing with scissors is exactly the situation as with a circular saw.

Scissors sometimes also have special shaping of the loop for the thumb--the inside diameter is angled for more surface area to support a right thumb in it. A left thumb gets a ridge digging into it instead of flat surfaces.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 01:25 PM

News clips show Obama signing with his left hand.
Obviously a leftwinger.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 01:42 PM

I saw Cameron on the news last night signing something left-handed as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Rumncoke
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:59 PM

Here in the UK we set the table to use forks in our left hand - knives in the right. Some people, both right and left handed in writing, change the hands used. One of my offspring does this. These days it would not usually be remarked upon.

For some deserts a spoon and a fork are used, and the fork would be used in the left hand, spoon in the right, but I reverse this. I use a soup spoon lefthanded too.

Being used to feeding myself left handed I use chopsticks in that hand. although I can manage right handed I am not as deft with that hand. This is quite shocking to those who traditionally use chopsticks and so I do not ask for chopsticks when eating in their restauraunts.

Handedness is not a set thing - for instance my sister writes with her left hand but uses scissors in her right, I use the left and have left handed scissors.

I am 60 years old now, but still remember the dissapproval of my father and his father when I picked up a pencil or crayon. I would have been only 4 or 5 years old. My mother was rather sharp with them and they stopped commenting.

I think it wise to work with both hands as much as possible - accident or illness could easily incapacitate a hand, leading to temporary or even permanent disability. It might make the difference between a good life and a miserable one to have some degree of ambidextrous ability.

Anne Croucher

Dorset England

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Gurney
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 08:01 PM

As Crowhugger says: The more specialised scissors become, the more 'handed' they are. Try some tailor's shears.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 10:08 PM

I misread the title of this thread as "Left-Hinduism".

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 10:46 PM

Oh, come on. EVERYONE knows that left-handed people are the spawn of Satan, the fiendish imps of Lucifer, and they all work to inflict their Agenda on the Elect.

Take my friend Mary. Not only is she a librarian, she's ALSO a lawyer (admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court, no less!) and an Associate Dean of Law.

And she owns a dachshund.

What further proof is needed?