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Thread: The Problems Of Being Left Handed.

  1. #1
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    Default The Problems Of Being Left Handed.

    About 12% of the population is left handed, more men than women, so there must be thousands of jewelers out there who have had to adapt their tools for this.

    Patstone has already highlighted one problem concerned with tube cutting jigs, and the difficulty in using scissors and shears with your left hand is well known.

    I am also wondering about saw frames, because the thumb nuts will get in the way when used on the left. Do you use the frame upside down, with the blade reversed to combat this or simply reverse the screws and plates?

    What else would bother you? Dennis.

  2. #2
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    Going from my own experience as a lefty and those of a couple of lefty friends (three females - what are those odds, never known a left handed man apart from my grandad) we all use scissors with our right hands. I also saw predominantly with my right hand as a natural preference but can saw equally well with my left when my right hand gets tired and often switch between. Same with my pendant drill, it's at home in either hand. From the sample of lefty people I've talked to I think it's quite rare for someone to be purely left handed in everything - you just have to adapt and sometimes that means having to use your right hand - in fact ive tried left handed scissors and just cant use them! We also use a mouse with our right hands which is logical to us because it means your left hand is free to write things down and think its weird that right handed people don't use a mouse in their left hand.
    I can't think of anything jewellery related that has caused me any problems being left handed

  3. #3
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    My daughter saws with her left hand, but she says its bonus in that situation because the screws are on the outside rather than the inside. I am right handed and pretty useless with my left.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis View Post
    About 12% of the population is left handed, more men than women, so there must be thousands of jewelers out there who have had to adapt their tools for this.

    Patstone has already highlighted one problem concerned with tube cutting jigs, and the difficulty in using scissors and shears with your left hand is well known.

    I am also wondering about saw frames, because the thumb nuts will get in the way when used on the left. Do you use the frame upside down, with the blade reversed to combat this or simply reverse the screws and plates?

    What else would bother you? Dennis.
    Last edited by Patstone; 06-01-2013 at 06:38 PM.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Myosotis View Post
    We also use a mouse with our right hands which is logical to us because it means your left hand is free to write things down and think its weird that right handed people don't use a mouse in their left hand.
    Totally agree. Am right handed but have always used my mouse left handed so I can write at the same time. If I'm using the computer at home where the mouse is right handed, then I'll write with my left hand, albeit much more slowly. My jewellery tutor kept trying to persuade me to use the torch with my left hand, but I find holding tweezers and picks in my left hand very comfortable so I have resisted

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Myosotis View Post
    We also use a mouse with our right hands which is logical to us because it means your left hand is free to write things down and think its weird that right handed people don't use a mouse in their left hand.
    Totally agree. Am right handed but have always used my mouse left handed so I can write at the same time. If I'm using the computer at home where the mouse is right handed, then I'll write with my left hand, albeit much more slowly. My jewellery tutor kept trying to persuade me to use the torch with my left hand, but I find holding tweezers and picks in my left hand very comfortable so I have resisted

  6. #6
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    Oops, sorry for double post! Gremlins. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

  7. #7
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    I am also right handed and choose to use my computer mouse left handed so I can write more easily - it confuses so many people (which I find funny I must admit). I can use a mug in either hand, unlike a lot of people. And I find that if I'm pouring from a bottle I hold the bottle in my left hand and the spoon (or whatever it's going into) in my right hand, which people find odd as well although I'm not sure why.

    I've always wanted to be able to write with my left hand, don't know why - but I don't practice enough for it to be readable!
    Anne

    Feel the fear, and do it anyway!
    Blog: http://www.whiteoakjewellery.blogspot.com/
    Website: http://www.whiteoakjewellery.co.uk

  8. #8
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    I am right handed with a left hand inclusion! (one for Dennis xx)



    Being ambidextrous I adapt to things around me and will adapt - like a borg, but without getting assimilated (sorry in joke for those who know my sci-fi addiction) lol

  9. #9
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    Someone please tell me where to find this elusive left-handed tube cutting jig? I'm about to throw myself out the window. Being a lefty is so annoying sometimes!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by callirrhoejewellery View Post
    Someone please tell me where to find this elusive left-handed tube cutting jig? I'm about to throw myself out the window. Being a lefty is so annoying sometimes!
    Before that fancy tool with the lever came on the market, jewellers made do with the joint filing tool and even made their own, as James Miller has described.

    Both the tools below are suitable for left handers and will act as suitable jigs.:
    http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...jig&channel=uk
    http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...ool&channel=uk
    Dennis
    Last edited by Dennis; 04-10-2017 at 08:02 AM.

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