leatherworkers who are lefties

[Johanna]

Clay, Holly, Kate, (Oh, how I love lists!) So far. If you know leatherworkers who are lefties that are not on this list, post names here. Please vote.

Carpel tunnel and other injuries kind of go with the leatherworker lifestyle. I smashed all the little bones in my right (dominant hand) wrist a few years ago, and it has forced me to learn to do things new ways, since my right hand does not work like it used to.

Johanna

[wolvenstien]

Ok, Johanna, I am stumped... I tried to make a poll on the question of the contest and couldnt do it... so I just posted it as a question in the thread....

[BruceGibson]

I'm left-handed. Sounds like we've got a few around here!

[pepin1948]

Wow! Look at all the lefties! I'm so thrilled The only time I hold the mallet in my right hand is if I'm "helping" Ethan, because he usually is sitting on my right knee, with my right arm around him, so balance-wise it's easier to do. (The tool then would be in my "free"/left hand) He's right handed (boo!) thus far.

[pepin1948]

Johanna said: "Carpel tunnel and other injuries kind of go with the leatherworker lifestyle. I smashed all the little bones in my right (dominant hand) wrist a few years ago, and it has forced me to learn to do things new ways, since "my right hand does not work like it used to.

I'm struggling with tendonitis (spelling?) in my right elbow - and I'm not certain if it's related to leatherwork or lugging around a 35 lb kid on that arm. Have any of you gotten tendonitis in the arm that you hold the tools with?

[Johanna]

Ibuprofen, rest and ice packs. It comes and goes, but I know if I overdo, it's gonna hurt for days. It was so bad 15 years ago I went to see a specialist, and he gave me HUGE ibuprofen pills (back then they were still prescription) and mostly that just upset my stomach. Resting the sore spot is the key. Like that's possible being a mom. LOL

Johanna

[pepin1948]

"Like that's possible being a mom." EXACTLY! My chiropractor told me to rest it, so I've been trying to carry him on my left side, but it's sooooo uncomfortable - plus my right arm has always been stronger.

[Roger]

I'm a lefty

[Brandon]

I'm a lefty but write with my right so don't know how to vote?

[Johanna]

Hmmm...which hand do you prefer to eat with? Call that your dominant hand? Everybody is ambidextrous to some degree, some more than others. Were you inclined to write with your right hand or did your teachers insist? My little sister, a lefty, used to come home crying because they wouldn't let her color or write with her left hand at school. Then they told her that her papers were messy.

Johanna

[CitizenKate]

Very interesting survey... I've read that there is a high percentage of the artistically-inclinded that are left-handed, or to some degree, ambidexterous. The result so far seems to support that.

Kate

[shirleyz]

I can do exactly "nothing" with my left hand. Guess that means I'm alright!

Shirley

[CitizenKate]

Yeah, I have. I'm a lefty, too, but I hold my stamps in my left hand (better coordination) and my maul in my right hand (better strength). I have gotten tendonitis in my maul arm on a couple of occasions.

Kate

I'm struggling with tendonitis (spelling?) in my right elbow - and I'm not certain if it's related to leatherwork or lugging around a 35 lb kid on that arm. Have any of you gotten tendonitis in the arm that you hold the tools with?

[Don101]

I an ambidextrous with a lot of things, when i gun spin i can use both hands no problems and both at the same time, ive boxed a bit in my younger days and found i could switch my lead hand with no problems, and do things some times without even thinking about it using my left hand, my parents were both left handed but when holdind a knife or hammer i use my right hand

[lokiprime]

I'm also left hand gifted!!!!

[AndyL1]

Left handed here too. Although I seem to be ambidextrous (SP?) on most things, stitch groovers are a chore! I need one with the blade in the middle. Who makes one like that?

[Windom Leather]

I too am primarily a lefty!

[katsass]

GRUMPY OLD KATSASS .......... = southpaw.

Teachers from kindergarten until 5th grade tried to change me........one even smacked my hand with a ruler if I even picked up a pencil with my grubby little left mitt.

Edited June 9, 2010 by katsass

[equiss]

I also am left handed which is a challenge sometimes with tools - speaking of which, does anyone know a company that might make and sell left handed skivers? The ones for right handed people are backwards (dont' know why I felt the need to explain that, other left handers will completely understand!) but really need to find or make one

thanks!

[wvcraftsman]

Lefty here too!!

[azrider]

So I am not a lefty, but am curious. I learned to shoot pool from a lefty, and can't play right handed. I hold my stamping tools, including the bevlers and shaders with my left hand. I use the maul with the right. Is that how right handed people usually do it?

[Colter]

I'm a Lefty, Though i'm Right Eye Dominant and shoot Longarms like a righty would, I can shoot pistols with either hand but it takes longer to line up the sights and thumb back a hammer in the left. i can Use Groovers/edge Bevelers/rotary punches in either hand, yet i can't cut straight with a knife in my right hand. Or I Could just say i'm Strange!

[ClayB]

I'm left handed. I hold my stamping tools with my right hand and my maul in my left. That's just what's comfortable for me.

[Timd]

Lefty here too. I'm fairly ambidextrous with most things though, I can swing a hammer with either hand, shoot either way, with tooling? Mallet in the left, tool in the right.

[cem]

Lefty here as well, I've yet to find a comfortable way of holding my Dixon plough gauge and have swapped to the free hand stitch groover. I use a computer mouse in my right hand though which comes in handy when I'm drawing with a wacom tablet, I can bring up any menus with the mouse and continue drawing with the pen.