Left handers!

[pollysproggle]

If you're a left handed adult do you have any left handed specific products?

Myself and my DH are left handed, 36 and 40 respectively and don't own anything left handed specific at all. I vaguely remember using a left handed fountain pen in primary school but that's it.
It has never even crossed my mind until now that my life may be made slightly easier if I did.

I've been looking online and it seems you can get a left handed version of anything and everything.
Obviously we get by just fine but are we missing out and just accepting our right handed world when things could be easier?

I'm definitely getting some scissors as this was all prompted by wrapping presents and again tearing the paper every single time but what else is good?

@Cacacoisfarraige
I'm the same. I cannot carry my baby on my left hip at all it feels wrong and like I don't have hold of them properly!

@TurquoiseDragon
I used a fountain pen in primary school but I definitely don't use one now so no need for one. I actually hold my pen very strangely, almost in a fist shape but I'm told I have very nice writing (for a lefty).
People actually comment on how uncomfortable it looks. I can write holding it as you're supposed to but my handwriting changes completely.
I just stick to biro's mostly as they don't smudge

@MaudesMum
I'm getting some definitely.
I was trying to cut down a bush in the garden last summer and using the secateurs upside down with two hands. They really hurt my hands.

Never owned anything left-handed or felt the need to. I'm most confused about the corkscrew. I use a corkscrew in my left hand, I don't understand what it would do otherwise. Does it turn the other way? Why would which hand you use determine which way you turn something?

The only thing I've ever had trouble with was those flip-over chair desks we had in seminar rooms at university. Had to sit awkwardly turned into the chair to have enough flat surface on my left to write on.

Do the 'anvil' type of secateurs and loppers work ok for lefties? - I'm wondering if they're a better choice than bypass if you want to share tools with an RH person.

Where did you find the left handed secateurs?p please? I have looked in several garden centres over the years, might try again when we are out of tier 4.

I agree that us lefties are generally used to living in a right handed world and are probably, overall, better at using our non-dominant side than rh folk.
So things like measuring jugs are 'a tad annoying' but perfectly usable when they have the measures only on the wrong one side, but I can't for the life of e see how a mug can be right handed

@ErrolTheDragon

Do the 'anvil' type of secateurs and loppers work ok for lefties? - I'm wondering if they're a better choice than bypass if you want to share tools with an RH person.

I have anvil and bypass secateurs, and find the bypass ones easier to use even thought they are right handed. Even though I keep them sharp, the anvil secateurs compress the material as they cut.

@tawnypoppit

The one time I really notice it is in gym classes. I automatically start everything with my left leg and the default expectation is the other way round. So they are telling you to turn to your left/now wrap your left arm round and I’m always in a knot/falling over

I am exactly the same, everything starts with the right foot so am always out of time !

78percentLindt my L handed secateurs were from Notcutts garden centre here

Always left handed scissors and a straight edged fish slice - for a while we had one that had a slant and I used to do contortions trying to flip an omelette 😀.

I find using a corkscrew a huge faff so either get DH to do it or drink screw too wine.

Wondering now reading this thread of tin openers normally last more than a year or so. This may explain why ours don’t as I’m always complaining it’s knackered.

Don't think I own any left handed products, think I may have just unconsciously adapted. I use scissors with my right hand (I think from all those years in school where left-handed scissors were rubbish and just didn't work), use the computer mouse with my right hand. Have always found the tin opener tricky and assumed that was just me, didn't realise it might be because I'm left-handed (d'oh!). Our potato peeler is universal so I do that with my left hand, but the one at my parents is definitely right-handed, such a shame I can never help out with potato/carrot peeling dinner prep

Now I come to think about it - the iron / ironing board set-up never seems quite right - is there such a thing as a left-handed iron?!

Yes always prefer spiral notebooks too so can fold the cover over properly rather than having it flipping closed again on your writing hand - again, something I've never really thought about as being annoying because I'm a leftie - another d'oh moment , this thread is a revelation.

Same age as you. No left handed things.

I think I’d love a left handed ruler so you can draw / measure starting on the right. Left handed tin opener might be good I get all cross handed using a normal one

Living in a right handed world I’ve adapted and couldn’t re adapt. I hold scissors in my right hand and move the thing with my left for fine cutting for instance. Using scissors in my left hand feels wrong.

I have a lefties daughter, she has a special pencil sharpener, potato peeler and scissors.

Have a look at anything left handed.com

@BackforGood

I agree that us lefties are generally used to living in a right handed world and are probably, overall, better at using our non-dominant side than rh folk. So things like measuring jugs are 'a tad annoying' but perfectly usable when they have the measures only on the wrong one side, but I can't for the life of e see how a mug can be right handed

Because the designs on some mugs are printed only on one side and are intended to be viewed by others when you're holding your mug in the right hand. Or those little designs on the inside that can only be seen by you when you tip the mug up while holding in your right hand.

pollysproggle I've found a lot of lefties have a painful-looking writing position, because I don't think many teachers have consciously thought how they are teaching lefties to write.

When I use my left hand to write, I'm tilting the paper to nearly 90 degrees and almost pulling the pen down the paper. It's to keep my wrist and hand in line without smudging, etc, and reduces strain in the hand. Left handed writing needs a slightly different technique, yet doesn't get mentioned very often.

Thanks Timtam. They closed our Notcutts a while ago, but I think there is one about 20 miles away. I'll give them a try when I can.
Turquoise has a point about teaching skills . I had it the other way round. I was showing a good student how to aseptically prepare injections and fill ampoules under a laminar flow. She really could not get it. It was painful to watch.Then I realised she was following me exactly, and I use my left hand for the precise stuff and she needed to work the other way round, so she was filling the ampoule with her right hand, and then using it to seal it . Once she was working in the way that was right for her- easy! ( Well as easy as it can be!)

A lesson learned for me.

@Lemonyfuckit

Now I come to think about it - the iron / ironing board set-up never seems quite right - is there such a thing as a left-handed iron?!

No you stand on the other side of the iron board. Back in the day irons were indeed handed with the cable coming out of the side, modern irons the cable comes out the middle of the back.

@TurquoiseDragon

pollysproggle I've found a lot of lefties have a painful-looking writing position, because I don't think many teachers have consciously thought how they are teaching lefties to write.

When I use my left hand to write, I'm tilting the paper to nearly 90 degrees and almost pulling the pen down the paper. It's to keep my wrist and hand in line without smudging, etc, and reduces strain in the hand. Left handed writing needs a slightly different technique, yet doesn't get mentioned very often.

I was in my 20s when someone at work said - Has nobody taught you how to write? - and showed me how to tilt my book. Took me a long time to change but it saves the pain in my wrist and shoulder. However the end result is I now have two very different styles of handwriting, one much neater than the other.

@winetime89

I need a left handed tin opener. I cannot open tins to save my life.

Same here. An automatic can opener is a life saver.

I do own left handed pens, pencils and a ruler but to be honest the ruler isn't much help because I learnt the right handed way.

I have used left handed scissors at school but as we were mostly taught to use the right handed ones (aka: there were either not enough or none in the room when needed) i do cut with my right hand mostly.

I do like the ideas of left handed notebooks too with the margin on the other side but I don't use them enough to need them now.

I have a left handed
Peeler
Scissors
Tin opener
Corkscrew
Mechanic egg timer
Rulers
Bamboo kitchen utensil set
Silicone spatulas
Computer keyboard
Left handed mouse

Some lefties can fairly reliably use their right hand, I really can’t, I certainlt couldn’t brush my teeth, chop etc with my right hand. Anything that requires a grip just doesn’t work in my right hand, yet I play piano and when I play my right hand is as reliable as my left.

I’m also left footed, this is a big advantage in rugby as my body isn’t facing the way an opponent is used to.

I only have left handed scissors. I use a mouse with my left hand but I just buy symmetrical mice (mouses?) rather than the ones that are shaped to your hand and I have the mouse settings on my computer reversed.