Left-handed

[Tom Rossman]

I have little experience with hand tools, so this may seem like a silly question to some of you. I am left handed and am wondering what limitations I might encounter in hand tool selection. I can see that a different orientation of the vises on a workbench would be desirable. I would expect that some planes may not easily be used by a left-handed person. Is that so? Are there other hand tools that might be problematic? Any advice will be helpful.

[Jim Koepke]

Tom,

Welcome to the Neander World.

I am somewhat ambidextrous and find very few planes that are handed. A lot of the specialty planes like the #45, 55, 78, 95, 140 and many like them are more right handed than left handed. There is some adaptability to being used left handed by some of these.

Some modern equivalents to these are being made in both left and right handed versions.

My thoughts are dexterity can be taught to one's less used side. I may be totally wrong on this, but it does seem to work for me.

Most saws and planes are only handed to the extent of how their controls are set up. Then this is only in the way the wheel turns.

There are some tools that have finger grips shaped into the handles, but this is not real common. The handles on many rip saws have a "thumb" hole for two handed use. Not sure if these are set up more for primarily right handed use or if they are equally handed.

jim

[Marty Weatherup]

Tom,

Welcome to the wonderful world of handtools. I am a fellow portsider. So left handed as to be almost non-functional from the right side. My right side works fine but you wouldn't know it to watch me use a tool with my right hand. Jim is right, umm correct, most planes will work from either side. Those he listed are decidedly right handed but can be manipulated left handed with some practice.

I have run into more trouble with power tools than hand tools when working left handed. The forward/reverse switch on cordless drills give me fits. My left index knuckle is always bumping it into the neutral or reverse position. Aggravating when one has a sheet of 5/8 by 12' drywall overhead and the screw is spinning backwards or not at all.

I am fairly new to hand tool use having been at it only a couple of years. I haven't found any yet that I cannot work with left handed with a little practice.

Marty

[Phillip Pattee]

Other than the saws Jim mentions, such as a Disston #8 rip saw, most tools work well with either hand. Some rasps, like the Ariou and those sold at The Best Things are handed, but you can get them for lefties. I'm left handed and in my experience so far this hasn't been an issue. I didn't have any muscle memory for hand tools that precluded me from using them right handed. My current bench is set up for a right handed person because I didn't know any better and it doesn't give me issues. I can plane either way -- this actually helps sometimes because I can switch which way I'm planing with respect to the grain without turning the lumber.

[Jim Koepke]

Other than the saws Jim mentions, such as a Disston #8 rip saw, most tools work well with either hand. Some rasps, like the Ariou and those sold at The Best Things are handed, but you can get them for lefties. I'm left handed and in my experience so far this hasn't been an issue. I didn't have any muscle memory for hand tools that precluded me from using them right handed. My current bench is set up for a right handed person because I didn't know any better and it doesn't give me issues. I can plane either way -- this actually helps sometimes because I can switch which way I'm planing with respect to the grain without turning the lumber.

There you go, there may be an advantage to being a lefty besides being the only ones in your right mind.

jim

[Ellis Anderson]

I generally don't have any trouble with right handed tools. Most hand tools are symmetrical enough to be used in opposite hands without difficulty. In some cases you can find lefty friendly variants of more common tools. For instance the Stanley 78, 45, and 55 use threaded rods that only allow the fence to be mounted on the left side. The equivalent tools can be had in the form of the Record 778, Sargent 1080, and 1085 which all use pass-through rods affording the option of a right mounted fence.

Sometimes we get the better end of the deal. Consider that it's easier to see where you're cutting with righty scissors used in the left hand. Likewise it's easier to use a right-handed circular saw in the left hand because your arm doesn't get in the way of seeing the blade. The reason why "left-handed" saws are made is primarily so rightys can get the same benefit.

[Bill Houghton]

and frightening pieces of wood for 37 or so of those years, and I agree that power tools are more of an issue than hand tools.

You're right that you should flip your bench design from the designs you'll normally see. If you're planing an edge on a board held in a face vise, it will vibrate less if you're planing toward the vise (the vibrations are being damped by the shortening of the board rather than amplified by lengthening). If you're planing the face of a vise held between tail vise and bench dogs, you put less strain on the vise by planing toward the dogs; if your bench design doesn't use a tail vise, you'll still be better off having the dogs at the face vise end, because it will get in your way less.

Bench and block planes are not handed, with two exceptions: a) on some of the continental European wooden planes (example: ECE), the front horns are distinctly "handed", and b) some specialty block planes like the Stanley 140 are handed.

Fenced planes, such as plow, rabbet, and combination planes, are almost exclusively right-handed, although Lee Valley has been quite conscientious about offering their products in two versions, one for each handedness. If you're strongly lefthanded, this could be a problem. I've adapted - to the point that I haven't purchased any of Lee Valley's lefthanded fenced planes, because I think I'd find them more awkward than helpful. If you live anywhere near a Lee Valley store, or anywhere close to a wood show that offers their products, you should go and try out both "hands" of plane, to see how much of a problem it would be.

Some layout tools (squares, rules) are designed for the righthanded. It's not that you can't use them lefthanded, but the numbers may run in the wrong direction. Again, I haven't found this a big issue.

Chisels, mallets, etc., don't care which hand is holding them.

Actually, if you are like many lefthanded folks, you'll have an advantage. Because objects in the developed world are designed for righties, we lefties often have to adapt; and there are many times when you have to work opposite your normal tool-holding to accomplish a particular step. If you're halfway to ambidextrous (as many lefties have had to become), you're ahead. My father used to comment, with awe, that my grandfather on Mom's side could hammer equally well with either hand. I've never achieved that (hammering calls for surprisingly subtle fine motor skills), but I can hammer with the wrong hand when I have to.

Go for it!

[Tom Rossman]

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and the sharing of your knowledge. What you have provided is exactly what I was looking for.

[James Taglienti]

Im a lefty too. I have noticed that most skewed rabbet planes (and many fenced rabbets in general) were designed for right handed use, (if you hold them upright) though they can be used left handed, you might lose a feature here and there. On most old wooden plow planes the depth stop is on the right side, so even though you can reverse the fence, the feature will only work in a right handed configuration. they also tend to clog this way, as the escapement ushers the shavings straight into the fence.

The good news is that it was not a big learning curve for me to start using plow and rabbet planes right handed, and I think my results are better... my more sensitive left hand can sit by the fence (if there is one) and detect any shift, and correct it that much faster. It actually feels more natural to me than pushing one left handed. The only exception is my fenced jointer plane which I still have to push left handed for some reason, since regardless of the fence I still have to balance it on the board somewhat.

Also on many backsaws I can rest my left index finger right in the middle of the medallion, which is quite comfortable.

[Garth Jones]

I'm another lefty, although I'm pretty good with my right. Over time I've found that it's often very helpful to be able us use hand tools (like chisels for paring) either way. I did build my bench with the vices 'reversed' and like it very much. However, sometimes it's necessary to plane 'backwards' when trimming or smoothing a part of a glued up case, etc.

I agree with the other posters that power tools are often far more annoyingly handed than hand tools.

If you turn, practice turning both ways - you'll need it.

Cheers,
Garth