Problems with being a lefty

17 June 2006, 12:16

Folks,

Just for fun, lets have a roll call of the things that aren't available in left handed models and consequently bug the hell out of you.

My pet hates are button fly jeans that are just so bloody akward and tin openers that have to be operated "wrong handed"........

17 June 2006, 17:31

HenryC470

Shakari,

They make jeans that button from the other side. Not much room for Mr. Johnson, however.

Mausers.

Writing desks (back when I learned my bad handwriting in school).

Most autopistols (though I like a RH 1911 just fine).

I shouldn't gripe about the scarcity of left-handed guns. That very scarcity has probably saved me from financial ruination.

H. C.

17 June 2006, 19:04

Jeff Alexander

cameras (esp movie cameras - right eyed/right controls)
door knobs
scissors
bra straps when you were in high school

17 June 2006, 21:18

shakari

Damn, I wish we could buy left handed button jeans here - you guys don't know how lucky you are........

I forgot scissors but I also find them difficult - never had trouble unhooking a bra though - just in getting permission to do so!

17 June 2006, 23:30

HenryC470

Fonzie demonstrated the bra unhooking technique on Happy Days. Instead of grabbing the straps and pushing, pinch the clasp between your thumb and finger. From there, it's a simple finger-snapping motion. It does work.

I think Fonzie showed Richie this on a mannequin.

Shakari,

I'm certain you can find those jeans that button from the other side where you live.

H. C.

17 June 2006, 23:57

Fjold

3 ring binders and spiral wound binders, I can't write in either one.

Fancy butter knives with the offset that only work right handed.

Frank

"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
- Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953

NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite

17 June 2006, 23:59

shakari

Henry,

I think I taught Fonzie how to do it!

I'm pretty sure we can't buy the jeans here in SA..... we only have one outlet selling quality jeans such as Levi etc in a radius of around 300 miles in any direction - but luckily it's close to my home, so I'll pop down there on Monday and ask......... problem here is that it's too hot for 9 months of the year to wear jeans so no-one sells them..... add on the fact that they're sooooo expensive here in SA it reduces the market even more. Guess we have to pay around US$90 - US$100 for a pair of Levis.......

18 June 2006, 00:39

HenryC470

You know what? I might be wrong. I know that women's blouses button from the other side, and maybe it was a bad assumption that their jeans do too. I just checked a pair of my wife's jeans, and they button from the same side as mine. I think that joke deserves partial credit anyway.

Ninety to a hundred $US?

I think you can still get them for $20 here. That gives me an idea what kind of tip to bring for my PH.

H. C.

18 June 2006, 00:43

shakari

Damn, I hope you book with me!!!!!!!

Actually, it'd be a very good idea to take along a few pairs for PH etc......

BTW - always fun to check which way they button up on a lady's jeans.......

18 June 2006, 01:51

robthom

Mauser bolt action rifles, althougth these are now being made in left hand versions.

Scissors

Tin openers

Fountain pen nibs

Screws & bolts give me reason to curse

SLR camera controls - I keep getting a digit in the view

Semi automatic rifles, like the SLR - back when we were allowed to have them in the UK, pre 1984.

Walking in the street and someone is coming towards you. I step aside. They step aside. And we are still directly facing eachother.

Bow ties.

Trouser buttons.

The controls on machinery.

18 June 2006, 08:09

Ohiosam

Along with much already mentioned.

Punch bowl ladles, most have a spout that only works right handed. Usually end up with punch all over my right hand.

Cresent wrenches.

Circular saws.

I have an angle grinder that has the button to lock the trigger on right where my finger bumps it.

I don't wear a watch because they get in my way on my left arm.

Pocket knives ment for one handed operation.

19 June 2006, 02:47

DennisHP

How about a left handed coffee cup?

19 June 2006, 09:19

prof242

I've got a lefthanded coffee cup! If you pick it up with the right hand, little holes on the side you'll drink from (too wide to cover with your lips) drip coffee alllll over you.

20 June 2006, 00:41

ELKMAN2

I don't care, but I don't think there is such a thing as a LH dentist

21 June 2006, 09:23

Norman Conquest

Those pen chains at the post office,bank,etc. Learned to wear my watch on right arm while playing baseball,otherwise watch follows ball. Never gave much thought to the fly on jeans until I broke my right wrist. I agree with the comment on soup/punch ladles.

21 June 2006, 21:11

SouthpawDV

Power tools:
Try a hand held drill left handed, you will sooner or later lock the switch button in and have a run away, I had this happen with a 1/2" model while powerlining, and up a pole, caught a knot in the pole, and damn near beat the tar out of my self. Note to all lefties make that lock button non functional, cut it flush or remove it all together.
And hand held circular saws, what a convoluted nightmare for a lefty.

22 June 2006, 06:51

army aviator

quote:
Originally posted by HenryC470:
You know what? I might be wrong. I know that women's blouses button from the other side, and maybe it was a bad assumption that their jeans do too. I just checked a pair of my wife's jeans, and they button from the same side as mine. I think that joke deserves partial credit anyway.

Ninety to a hundred $US? I think you can still get them for $20 here. That gives me an idea what kind of tip to bring for my PH.

H. C.

why do womens blouses button from the other side? I heard that in the old days when many women rode horses side saddle it was to keep their blouse from comming open or balooning open in the wind. Thats my story an I am sticking to it.

22 June 2006, 09:18

AZ Pete

quote:
Originally posted by DennisHP:
How about a left handed coffee cup?

I had a left handed "moustache" coffee cup for years, got it in a LH specialty stor in Denver about 1974.

22 June 2006, 13:03

Geedubya

Fjold,
I start from the back and work toward the front on spiral notebooks. That way the wire doesn't get in the way.

When anyone complains about my poor pensmanship, I tell them "hell anyone could write great if they can pull a pencil"

24 June 2006, 05:25

Norman Conquest

Just over on the pistol shooting forum + that reminded me.I bought a Sig 220 a few years back + never could get used to the levers,decocker,etc.Truly a right handed weapon.

25 June 2006, 00:02

dirklawyer

I be a left-handed south paw also

25 June 2006, 02:30

AZ Pete

Any pistol that does not have an ambidextrous safety. Same for pump guns and semi-autos. Those little push buttons on the front or rear of a trigger guard just piss me off, they are an accident waiting to happen. Thankfully Browning makes a LH button for their Auto .22 and Auto-5 shotguns.

It has never bothered me to have brass or shot gun hulls pass in front of my face while ejecting. But when hot brass (from a M-16A1) would eject, bounce off of my cover (to the right) and sear my neck...that got old in a hurry.

I can ususlly manipulate the decockers, slide releases and magazine releases with my index finger without changing my grip.

26 June 2006, 23:37

foxfire

To those of us lefties that find the silly little things like scissors, a ruler (read upside down by a lefty), knife and sheath etc.
there are left handed stores. These are stores catering to the lefty. You can buy a left hand scissor and left hand fountain pen.
Maybe even left handed button fly pants.

On another note it seems Italian mens coats and shirts button and zipper from the other side. I would wonder if "Feragomo" made jeans would the button the other way and if they do could anyone afford them.

28 June 2006, 07:01

700 nitro

the browning bps shot gun is very left hand friendly

im also haveing a left handed 505 being built by ryan breeding.

www.rbbigbores.com

and my 700 nitro and 500 nitro searcy double guns were left handed.

28 June 2006, 16:28

foxfire

For those of you that have never been to or seen the The Left Handed Store.
Really cute with some fun lefty things.

28 June 2006, 22:00

hvy barrel

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fjold:
3 ring binders and spiral wound binders, I can't write in either one.

I second this, I have a hard time with spiral notebooks & binders.

04 July 2006, 02:55

robthom

Ditto power tools.

I had an 'experience' with a circular saw this afternoon.

Scared me witless.

Next time, I am going to pay a right handed person to do it!

04 July 2006, 08:19

Doubless

Another southpaw here, and frankly, I have just about learned to live in a right-handed world.... But I DO miss LH scissors, and there still isn't a LH .222 out there!

Oh, yes, and the circular saw. Guess the only solution is a gear drive?

But... the way I see it, old man Garcia, the guy that inented Ambassadeur reels, was probably a lefty, I'd bet one of the Smith and Wesson guys was, too... Think about it: the cylinder comes out on the left side of revolvers, and the handle on the reel is on the right side, so you can control the rod and don't have to swap hands to cast.

05 July 2006, 03:06

robthom

Doubles - If you keep an eye on Gunsamerica, occaisionally a left hand 'varmint' barrel weight left hand Kimber / Oregon in .222 Rem comes up for sale.

I suggest One Stop Gun Shop / South Dakota. That is where I obtained mine from. Good people to do business with from my one time experience.

I have found, God bless business, if you search /ask, then someone will fill the market - tin openers, scissors, fountain pen nibs, left hand Mauser CRF rifles etc, etc.

10 July 2006, 05:40

Johnny_Revolver

Power tools, oh yeah... But you adapt, don`t you? I`ve never considered the `pushing` the pencil to write as opposed to `pulling`it across the page as a right handed person does, I just know as a lefty, I cover what I`ve just written and as a consequence leave words out sometimes. I fired a rifle off the bench right handed the other day, I`m now going to learn to shoot off the right shoulder for shits and giggles.
I do quite a bit of vermin control shooting, both in daylight and at night with a spotlight, from the drivers side ( thats the right side here ) of a vehicle, I find being a lefty pays off handsomely in this situation.

11 July 2006, 02:45

CRUSHER

chain saws it should be illegal for a lefty to use one

16 July 2006, 00:23

trans-pond

laser range finders... you have to read upside down.
Chain saws you have to use right handed.
Blown primers or split cases with over flow/exhaust holes same side as your face.

16 July 2006, 07:11

RLI

quote:
Originally posted by Johnny_Revolver:
Power tools, oh yeah... But you adapt, don`t you? I`ve never considered the `pushing` the pencil to write as opposed to `pulling`it across the page as a right handed person does, I just know as a lefty, I cover what I`ve just written and as a consequence leave words out sometimes. I fired a rifle off the bench right handed the other day, I`m now going to learn to shoot off the right shoulder for shits and giggles.
I do quite a bit of vermin control shooting, both in daylight and at night with a spotlight, from the drivers side ( thats the right side here ) of a vehicle, I find being a lefty pays off handsomely in this situation.

Thinking about it a RHD car is set up for a lefty easy to hold a rifle out of drivers side door for spotlighting mostly and gear stick you use with left hand more natural than LHD.

Steve

16 July 2006, 08:57

Johnny_Revolver

Shooting out of the drivers side ( which I do, right side of the car ) seems to me to favour a lefty, I dunno how pro roo shooters circumvent this. Over the years I `ve operated machinery which was left and right hand bias and found no real difficulties. I`ve been told by right handers who drive on the right side of the car at home and who have travelled and driven left hand drive, that they`d rather steer with their right hand which is more crucial, and numbly bang cogs with their left. For me, after all these years its basically a case of piss with the cock you`ve got, just get the job done.

16 July 2006, 09:49

billinthewild

A nice gal could do both very well for you....

quote:
Originally posted by shakari:
My pet hates are button fly jeans that are just so bloody akward and tin openers that have to be operated "wrong handed"........