# Left handed apprentice / advice



## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2010)

My son ( who is lefty) is starting the apprenticeship soon. What’s the best way to guide him? Should he be learning everything righty? I’m sure trying to splice lefty can be a disaster. Seems like it is an additional challenge in coordination. If you are lefty and can share your experience I’d appreciate it. I’m hoping he can get off to a good start and minimize any awkwardness that might discourage him. Thank you


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

I prefer my trainee to be left handed or ambidextrous as im right handed. It makes working in close proximity easier.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

This is a non-issue. If you want to be a good dad, buy him a good pair of work boots and leave him to earn and learn.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

gpop said:


> I prefer my trainee to be left handed or ambidextrous as im right handed. It makes working in close proximity easier.


My Estwing is ambidextrous. I’m not.


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## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

I'm sorry, I don't think he'll work out in the trade. It's not my opinion it's Flemmings left hand rule.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I hand a lefty... I hand to train him to twist his joints clockwise... he had a hard time but he eventually did it. Other than that I don't think being lefty is an issue


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

What’s his take? I’ll bet he’s able to do some things w/either hand.
Just make sure he knows that it’s natural for guys to kid him about being a lefty & take it in stride.


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## Easy (Oct 18, 2017)

I really don't think it matters. My younger Brother is a cable splicer for GTE and he is very proficient. He uses the same tools as the rest of the guys. I am giving you a link that gives tips for Left handed electricians but honestly it's not a big deal. Tips for Left handed electricians The only part I disagree with is that we need to train our right hand to do things.


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## Coppersmith (Aug 11, 2017)

I also don't think it matters. I developed carpel tunnel in my right hand. Doing fine motor skills work like computer mousing with my right is painful. I learned to mouse left-handed and became just as good mousing left as right. I like to say that I'm ambi-mouse-terous. Your son will do the same with practice.

ETA: I didn't change the mouse settings to left-handed use. I use the right-handed settings so my wife can use the computer without problems. This also allows me to use public computers without issues.


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## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

My good friend is a lefty. He figured out quickly you have better mechanical advantage twisting right with the right hand, so he learned to use his right hand for that. Years ago he taught himself to be proficient with a computer mouse in his right hand also - rather than change it up every time he sat at a computer.

I usually sit on the left side of the couch at home. Taught myself to be a lefty with the tv/computer mouse on the armrest.

Adapt and overcome.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

99cents said:


> My Estwing is ambidextrous. I’m not.


Make your apprentice some Kraft Dinner with that Estwing.


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## Cosmorok (Jun 3, 2019)

I'm left handed, which means I'm decent at being ambidextrous, not just in the trades but in life also. Any electrical skill I've been taught was by a normie but I'm able to "translate" it to my left side if need be. Your kid will be fine if he is willing to learn and realize it'll take some extra time for the first few tasks to learn right handed but your brain just gets better at using your right side.

Sent from my SM-G991W using Tapatalk


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## ScooterMcGavin (Jan 24, 2011)

I’m a leftie. Depending on the task I use different hands. 

Stripping, cutting, hammering, writing, and hitting I do left handed. 

Twisting, screwdrivers, wrenching, golfing, shooting and computering I do right handed. 

I can hammer right handed when I have to better than most others can hammer left handed. 

He’ll figure out what works for him as he goes just like everything else in life.


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## Lightsmith (Oct 8, 2010)

When one is left handed they are forced to learn to use their right hand to a far greater degree than a right handed person. As a lefty I have had to use scissors and snips with my right hand. My right hand is as strong as my dominant left hand which has been very useful over the years. 

Working on cars and trucks over the years it has been great to be able to use either hand depending on which provided better access to part or fastener. One does need to know which direction is clockwise and to reverse the orientation at times with fasterners but it is not a left or right issue. I used to work with industrial computers from China and then I needed to remember that the #1 terminal was the one on the far right end of the board and #2 was the next one going to the left. 

Even a friend who is dyslexic had no issues working as an electrician and he was better at being able to read blueprints than anyone I have worked with over the years.


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

99cents said:


> This is a non-issue. If you want to be a good dad, buy him a good pair of work boots and leave him to earn and learn.


Electrically insulated Boots.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm a leftie.

But you all already knew that.


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## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

LGLS said:


> I'm a *socialist communist*.
> 
> But you all already knew that.


FIFY


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Screws have right handed threads, so righties will tend to get tennis elbow from driving screws, lefties will tend to get golfer's elbow, but if you use a power tool to drive screws you can probably avoid them both.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

MotoGP1199 said:


> FIFY


 Nah I'm not that far left, it's just that the right has move to full on fascist oligarchy, so the left appears further away.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

LGLS said:


> Nah I'm not that far left, it's just that the right has move to full on fascist oligarchy, so the left appears further away.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

It will be better for him as a lefty. When I was doing carpenter work for awhile the guy I work with was surprised how well I used both hands. It comes with the work, sometime you have to do what you need to do. The biggest problem is two people carrying something, one wants to walk on the opposite side of the other one.


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## Sparky_boom (Jul 6, 2021)

I'm left handed and I've never had an issue being a lefty in the trade.


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## 205490 (Jun 23, 2020)

Left handed electrician no problem, now a left handed banjo player...that's a problem.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

CA C-10 said:


> Left handed electrician no problem, now a left handed banjo player...that's a problem.


Definitely hard to drop thumb the G string playing claw hammer.


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## pokeytwo (Dec 6, 2015)

He will be fine as long as he goes with left hand screwdrivers and pliers.


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