# Left handed?



## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

I was wondering. How many of us LJ's are left handed? I am for one. I suspect sinister is (sinister is the latin for Left). Come on then out of the woodwork with us.

*I'm cack-handed and I'm proud!*

Martyn


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

Nope, I'm right handed.

You probably use the metric system too. And have a Mac.

Steve


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Only for flashing with, Steve. Joke (for those with no sense of humour).


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Approximately 1 in 7 of the general population is left handed. I'm not.

Strangely, 5 of the last 7 Presidents in the US have been (or are) left handed. Ford, Reagan, Bush (senior), Clinton and Obama.


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## FrigidLJ (Sep 18, 2010)

Lefty in the shop! I was the only one in a right handed family. Now my wife is left handed and our daughter is a righty. Learning for her has been as difficult for her as it was when I was growing up. Really feel for her.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Right and my big brother left, little sister right…
Martyn for president of US!!! That sound like a fantastic idea.
Take a look at my Paris tool box post Rick made a funny comparesent.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## huff (May 28, 2009)

Left handed when it comes to writing, but most everything else, whatever hand gets there first. I was going to say that "left" handers work from their "right minds", but after seeing the list of left handed presidents, that theory is shot! lol.


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## Roger (Feb 20, 2008)

I'm left handed.
Roger


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## huff (May 28, 2009)

It's also been said that "left" handers are more creative, but Steve, you blow that theory out the window


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Another lefty here!

Since the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, lefties are the only ones always in their right minds.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Here's some useless information:

The reason they call left handers "south paws" .... a baseball stadium is situated so that home plate faces due west so that the batters dont end up with the sun rising in their eyes, and when a left handed pitcher is on the mound they face due south (toward first base) ... making them south paws.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

Add me to the list. I've learned to switch-hit for many things.


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## fernandoindia (May 5, 2010)

You lefties must be millions in UK. Driving the other side.
Down here are ambidextrous: don´t know exactly where we are driving to, and mess things up with both hands

Is your photo in the Avatar mirrored?


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

Another lefty here, but I manage to do most things right.


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## ShannonRogers (Jan 11, 2008)

I'm a lefty and proud of it. Check out my bench. People always tell me I put the leg vise on the wrong side!


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

Martyn,
You say you are proud? Does that mean you dress on the left?
Which hand does a lefty extend for a handshake?
I myself talk with a limp and walk with a lisp.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I am right handed. I carpenter student that was left handed, we always may fun of him trying to hammer with his left hand.


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## SouthpawCA (Jul 19, 2009)

The name says it all … and proud of it.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Good point Fernando. The icon has been suitably altered. I knew there was something wrong with it.


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## knottysticks (Feb 8, 2010)

My mother is ambidextrous , as I am , my father was a lefty , and so is my daughter …......


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## jimr (Jun 15, 2007)

I am a Lefty to write and eat but ambidextrous for most other things. That said I bat and golf ( if ya wanna call it that) right my right foot is also what I kick a ball with.


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## NewPickeringWdWrkr (Feb 24, 2010)

Strangely enough, I'm only left handed when playing hockey. Maybe because I wanted to be the next Bobby Orr  didn't happen though 

Interesting fact though, many sports superstars are left handed. Arnold Palmer, Bobby Orr, John McEnroe and Oscar De La Hoya and Babe Ruth (although the Babe supposedly wrote right-handed).


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

knottysticks,
Is your mother Greek then?


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

A lefty here. And for all those right-handers out there, us lefties are in our right minds so don't you forget it! .


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## davidswoodwrks (Aug 14, 2010)

Lefty!! Mother and brother are along with most of my mothers side of the family. My wife (shes a righty) and I are taking bets as to whether or not our son will be left handed.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

David, Paul McCartney is also left handed. You're in good company.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

RichGreer, 1 in 7 eh. I wonder what the ratio is in LJ's.


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## cranbrook2 (May 28, 2006)

I am right handed when it comes to writing and eating but left handed for everything else , type left handed and all tools lefty


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

CharlieM1958,

Yeah Charlie, and a mind is a terrible thing to waste especially for a Cajun.

Tough audience today!


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## bigfish_95008 (Nov 26, 2009)

Left, fine work, writing. Right for the heavy stuff. Yes, a very confused brain.


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

Richgreer,

Don't you mean that 5 of the last 7 Presidents you mention used sleight of hand?


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

I worked in one restaurant years ago that had 20 left-handers out of 25 employees!! 21 of the workers were also Virgos (for what it's worth)...
I had the "being a Virgo" down, but I'm a righty all the way…


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## terrilynne (Jun 24, 2010)

Both.It-just-depends-on-what-I-am-doing.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Terri, what happens when the - goes?!


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

Hitler, Genghis Khan, Caligula, Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson, and Osama bin Laden are all left handed.

I just made that up.
Steve


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Yes Steve, so statistically for every one of those there are six right handed monsters.

LOL


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## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

Well said Martyn! Off course I am a lefty! So is my wife AND my two kids. One brilliant family hey!

Down here everyone also drives on the lefthand side


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## CoolDavion (Dec 6, 2007)

I'm claiming to be ambidextrous. I write slightly better with the right, but I am predominately a lefty with every thing else.


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## Houtje (Apr 6, 2010)

Both handed


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

I'd give my right arm to be ambi-dextrous !


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Div, it sounds like you are redressing the balance all on your own there !


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

Lefty here as well. Although I've learn to be ambidextrous because most things are designed for right handed people go figure.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Actually, everyone is born right handed, and only the strong and highly intelligent can overcome a handicap like that.

Nuff sed.


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## NH_Hermit (Dec 3, 2009)

God only makes a few of us perfect - the rest are right handed.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Like it, Lee.


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## LONGHAIR (Dec 16, 2007)

Another lefty here, having to adapt to the right handed world.


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## JimNEB (Dec 31, 2009)

I've read that 25% of lefties are gifted either athletically or artistically. Not sure how true that is but it seems to hold out in my experience with people. I would think that would make a lot of lefties very creative in the shop.


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## rastus (Nov 25, 2009)

I wrote left handed for about fifty years then taught myself to write right handed, easier than you might think! In baseball I was a right hand batter but threw left. In high school I played soccer and I was the only one on my team that could shoot and dribble equally well with either foot, my first goal was with my right foot. working on my lathe I mostly hold the chisels left handed but have also have done it righty when needed.

Paul


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

On the down side…. lefties have a shorter life expectancy, and are more likely to be alcoholics. Of course, that second fact might explain the first.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Charlie, I'll drink to that.


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

I give my right arm to be ambidextrous… lol

I write with the Right…but dress to the left… oh oh too much information…


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## doninvegas (Jun 10, 2010)

I'm a righty. When i was a kid my Dad tried to get me and my brother to be ambidextrous. He would have us practice doing push-me pull-yous with our left hand for hours on end. Guess what? It didn't take.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

Well, I don't think there's much danger of me becoming an alcoholic. I pour AND drink left-handed, which slows me down.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Lefties statistically live shorter lives due to all the right-hand equipment messing them up, I read somewhere. I'm a righty, and on top of that I'm almost always right…but when I'm wrong, man, am I wrong.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

Yup, another 'backwards' workbench here:



Q: but wait… why is your workbench reversed?
A: it's NOT reversed for me


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Martyn, I'm calling FOUL!!! Just 36 days ago, YOU were right-handed. The proof is here. I may not be a LEFTY, but I AM a good noticer.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I am 100% ambidextrous.. I just can't choose.


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## wchips (Dec 11, 2009)

I am right handed. but i have to have the rip fence on my table saw on the left side to be comfortable with it


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Rance, we all make mistakes, me included. I just knew there was something wrong there, just couldn't put my finger on it. Index finger, left hand that is. Lol.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

lefty


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

I am surprised at the consistency here. I say I am lefty because I eat and write with my left hand but do everything else as a righty. That fits most of the responses.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

*Left-handed and very proud i have always understood we are gods children*


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Well except for left handed atheists, like what I am.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Martyn, we are left-handed children of the universe… how's that?


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Its a bit Hippy but it'll do nicely.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

lol.

I mean… right on.. er…. peace!


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

On the golf course I drive right handed and PUTT left !
Hand sanding in the shop: Both left and Right.
Hammering nails: Both left and Right finishing nails always right.
Writing : right (If I used other hand it would be called "wrong")
Eating: I was taught to use fork or spoons, not to use my hands.(Hold the spoon in right)
Typing: 1 finger BOTH HANDS (lol)


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## wdkits1 (Mar 21, 2009)

Lefty here. Wife is lefty and 2 out of 3 sons are lefty


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm a lefty, well kind of. Let me explain.

I write with my left and play any one-handed sports with my left, like squash or tennis. However, if it takes two hands (like golf or cricket), then I'm right-handed and I naturally kick a ball with my right foot. I play guitar right-handed too.

When it comes to using hand tools, I tend to use them left-handed and I still use the as a lefty even if they require two hands to hold them like a plane. It ocurred to me some time ago though that you can get a lot more work done if you train yourself to be able to use either hand. Take sawing for example, we all know that you soon get tired, but if you swap hands, you can keep on going giving your favoured arm time to recover. Anyone can do this, just believe that you can.


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## GabrielX (Aug 25, 2010)

Shoot handguns with my right, rifles witht he left. Everything else I can do with both, but am usually left handed. 
When I say I do it all with both, I mean everything… Cutting, sawing, butchering, drilling, painting, writing, using scissors, even driving… ha ha.

Seriously though, it took a while to teach myself to write legibly with the right, but I am now just as fast writing with my right as the left. I prefer the left as it is already what I choose to write with, but definately don't mind using two sets of chopsticks in each hand during a good homecooked meal! My wife wonders why I show off, and I tell her, babe, you cooked a great meal, let me enjoy eating with both of my hands, I have two sets of teeth to use, why not use both hands?!


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## cjwillie (Sep 6, 2011)

I'm left-handed. The only thing I can't do left is throw a frisbee. Most everything else can do either handed. Had to always learn to adapt in a right-handed world. Really happy to see that power tool manufacturers have finally decided to move the button to lock the trigger on, to a different place. I have had many close calls because a tool has been locked on because my finger hit the button using it left-handed.


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

While many consider me a lefty, I eat and write left handed. Many things in this ol world are dominated by right hand folks. So I've learned to be ambidextrous. I was lucky enough to be born with two good hands so I figure I should use them both. It just feels better using the left one.


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## Tootles (Jul 21, 2011)

The story goes that when I was a little lad, before I knew such things, I asked my Mum which was my right hand. She pointed it out at which point I held up my other hand and said: "So this must be my wrong hand."

As you might have guessed, I'm not a member of the lefty gang. Any time I did try for membership, I was told: "Wrong hand, use your right hand."


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I'm right handed but on a great many things I am somewhat ambidextrous and it sure does come in handy at times because it keeps me from having to change positions. Woodcarving is one thing that it helps in.


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## NH_Hermit (Dec 3, 2009)

I've a cup in my hand my sister gave me. It reads. "If the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body… then only left handed people are in their right minds."

Oh yeah, I'm a lefty.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

I'm right handed… but I can use both left and right in most of my work… welding with my left hand when the situation is wrong because my right hand cannot reach and weld with my right hand when the situation is right. Ah about who's who… PACQUIAO a left-handed and MAYWEATHER a right handed… they are both boxer but both Martyn and I are boxmakers… does it matter?


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## jpc (Sep 9, 2009)

i see im really late on seeing this thread. But for what its worth, I got a funny story, maybe just funny to me, but here it goes..ive been woodworking for about 3 years now, and in my first 1 to two years, I did alot of my home hobby projects before or after work ,at my job due to them having a huge table saw and good miter saw.Stuff like ripping sheet goods and what not. But the carpenter who works in the shop ,who set the shop up is left handed and his shop is set up as thus. But forever couldnt figure out why things always felt awkward or out of wack. Up until about a year or so ago never put two and two togather , just appreciated the fact that I had access to that shop, so cheers to lefties


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## ShopTinker (Oct 27, 2010)

I write and type lefty, eat with my right. I use a hammer, screw driver, or wrench with either hand. Have more power with the left. I have finer control for small parts with my right, but that may be due to a couple of injuries to the left wrist. I consider myself a lefty.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Interestingly, (probably only to me), I was did a stint as an electricians helper and got fired the first day. The reason? I was left handed and it was assumed I would twist the wires together the wrong way when making a splice. I had actually grown up making Western Union splices, so I knew which way was which, LOL. They gave me another job as the office guy and parts fetcher and eventually I became the IT guy for the whole electric companies computer Networking system.
Things I do right handed:
Play guitar because that way I can pick up ANY 'normal' guitar and play just as badly.
Fire a semi automatic pistol because most of the time the shell is ejected to the right side, and it's no fun being hit by hot brass! I fire revolver left handed. I have fired a "Possible" just as much left as right.
Hold nails.

Things I do left handed:
Hammer.
Operate hand tools except the circular saw.
Just about everything else.

Things I do ambidextrous:
Write, with a caveat. I can write with both hands at the same time, but… while the left hand is right side up and forward, the right hand side is upside down and backward. So much so that they are nearly mirror images of each other. I have wondered if it has to do how the brain works.
Try it sometime and see how you do. I've noticed that most right handed people can't do it at all and most left handed people can.


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