Eli5: Why is it almost impossible to use scissors with your less dexterous hand, especially for cutting items such as plastics and rubber?

Question

Eli5: Why is it almost impossible to use scissors with your less dexterous hand, especially for cutting items such as plastics and rubber?

In: 687

Answer 1

When you use “standard” scissors with your right hand you are pulling (whether you realize it or not) the handles so that they keep the cutting edges close together. You do this by pulling with your fingers while pushing with your thumb. Once you switch to your left hand, that same technique will cause the cutting edges to gap away from beach other.

As a coping technique, some southpaw users have learned to pull with the thumb and push with the fingers. Others (like me) just use our right hand for scissors. I do have a pair of lefty scissors in the house. My (bad) habit is tying to use them with my right hand.