Lefty or Righty?

[Tira]

Hello members! I was reading one of the other threads where some members were speaking about being left handed as opposed to right. Thinking back to many of the engravers I've meet in the last couple of years, there seems to be quite a few left handed engravers. I was wondering if there is more prevalence of left handedness in the engraving population than in the general population which averages about 7%. So... are you a lefty or righty?

 

[John B.]

Hi Tira.
Great thought.
If you survey artists in general I think you will find that artists have a higher percentage of left handers than the population in general.
It's that old left brain, right brain thing at work, I think.
Be interesting to see what your survey brings out about our members.
But as we all know, there are great artists of both right and left.
I'm somewhat ambidextrous being left eye dominant and also slighty dysletic as are quite a few people I've met that are involved in art related fields.
There, that's more than you ever wanted to know!

Best, John B.

 

[monk]

i just uploaded a few fotos to the archive tira of a left handed flintlock long gun. looked a bit strange , but then it wouldn't for the owner !

 

[Steve Adams]

I voted as a right hander, but have noticed myself using my left hand when in a spot where only the left hand will work. Example: hand engraving a part of a pantograph pattern if it is already on the machine. For the hammer and chisel engravers and guitar and banjo players etc. , why is it the hand we are least capable with in every day tasks steals the limelight so often ?

 

[Tira]

John B, Very interesting... I'm left eye dominant, right handed as well. It's kind of strange because there are many things I prefer to do with the left hand, but I write and engrave with my right. It will be fun to find out what the poll reveals.

 

[jr hoot gibson]

I am naturally left handed,but everytime I tried to use my left my Dad corrected me. He said "it's a right handed world." As a result I have a lot of things that I do either way. In spite of his best efforts I bat lefty.As a result I'm not in my right or left mind, My mind is all confused.
Hoot

 

[Dave London]

# 3 with John B and Tira

 

[BrianPowley]

Tira, Great thread.
I'm left handed...writing,engraving,computer mouse & Left eye dominant.

The only thing I do right handed is play guitar---and that's probably one of many reasons why I can't play it very well. (the other is because I'm basically a drummer)
I voted as a lefty for this thread.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Me..................yip, I'm right handed.

Absolutley hopeless with my left hand.

But I do drive on the left hand side of the road!!!

Cheers
Andrew

 

[joe seeley]

right handed,

But left eye dominant, I wonder if this common in the artsy type people?

Haven't found it to cause to much of a problem except in skeet & trap shooting, can't hit a thing either way ahead or way behind the birds

Hmmmm wonder if I'm way behind

 

[mdengraver]

Left Handed

I am left handed and was taught to engrave right-handed. The cuts in lettering are certainly less awkward to engrave right-handed. Since I was taught to engrave right handed, any other way would feel strange.
It's not like the left hand doesn't do anythng since the block is turned with the left-hand. I'm also a switch-hitter in baseball.

 

[michaelp]

right handed and right eye dominant,sounds like we types are the minority

 

[RT Bit and Spur]

I am left handed on most things right on some and ambidextrous on a lot.
Rod

 

[leschowe]

Hi Tira,

I am right handed and left eye dominant.

Les Schowe

 

[KSnyder]

Hi Tira, I'm right handed but left eye is stronger. I use h & c so I can cut up ccw or down (cw).
Kent

 

[John B.]

Hi Tira,
Sounds as if we are a long way from being alone on that left eye, right hand thing.
You start some great threads, thanks.
Maybe you could add dominant eye to this survey??????

Best, John B.

 

[tldcowboygear]

Howdy,

I wonder how many folks know how to test dominant eye? I was taught to point (aim) my finger at a spot on the wall with both eyes open, close one eye, if the finger did not move from the point of aim (sight picture) then the eye that was open is the dominant eye. Is this correct?

D.C.

 

[Don]

Very interesting poll, I'm also right handed but left eye dominant.

 

[Tira]

John B, I never considered eye dominance when I set up the poll. I could do another poll, but I can't modify this one without blowing the results because all who have already voted could not amend results. If you want a second poll about handedness vs. eye dominance I can put up another poll.

Also, this is just for fun to see what characteristics seem to be in common with many of us. It is not intended to say a particular hand or eye dominance will in any way make you a better engraver than anyone else. There are great righties and lefties among us. The only thing that will make anyone better is practice.

 

[Big-Un]

I'm predominately right handed, right eye dominant and am quite ambidextrous when I want to be. As far as testing for eye dominance, make a triangle with both hands at arms length, focus on an object with both eyes and bring your hands closer to you, keeping focus on the object. The dominant eye will end up looking through the hand triangle without any concious effort.