Poll: Knives & Forks, left hand vs right hand

[Minusorange]

It's interesting the divide and logic used to justify why the preference for fork in left or right hand, surely the only real logic is because it's the way you were raised to eat rather than silly excuses like not wanting to stab yourself with a fork (who does that really ?)

Right handed, knife in right hand for precise cuts and steering food onto fork
If eating one handed then spoon or fork goes in right hand
Drinking I can do either hand whichever is closest to drinking vessel
Same with eating a handheld piece of food like sandwich or chicken drumstick

 

[Yaayuh!]

It's interesting the divide and logic used to justify why the preference for fork in left or right hand, surely the only real logic is because it's the way you were raised to eat rather than silly excuses like not wanting to stab yourself with a fork (who does that really ?)

Right handed, knife in right hand for precise cuts and steering food onto fork
If eating one handed then spoon or fork goes in right hand
Drinking I can do either hand whichever is closest to drinking vessel
Same with eating a handheld piece of food like sandwich or chicken drumstick

All 5 of my siblings are right handed and eat the common way of knife in the left hand. I am the only one that doesn't. It has always felt more natural to me to interact with things with my right hand more than my left, though competent with my left still, it's not my dominant hand.

When using a knife and fork, I'm more than competent enough with my left hand to use a knife and it doesn't require much in the way of dexterity or precision. So my right hand can do the primary work of moving about and plate-to-mouth action, just like I would instinctively catch a ball, hold a glass etc primarily with my dominant hand.

Not everyone is the same and in regards to holding a knife and fork, it doesn't matter which hand you use for what, so long as you can do it competently. There is no right or wrong way, unless of course you're stabbing yourself in the face and shredding rather than cutting

 

[Semple]

It's interesting the divide and logic used to justify why the preference for fork in left or right hand, surely the only real logic is because it's the way you were raised to eat rather than silly excuses like not wanting to stab yourself with a fork (who does that really ?)

I suspect it's mostly just stemmed from tradition.

I would imagine as more people frequent casual dining as opposed to fine dining, it becomes less of a 'thing'.

As someone else posted earlier, if i'm eating with a knife and fork then it's fork/left knife/right, but if i'm eating something with just a fork, then i'll use my right hand - be a bit strange i think in the left.

 

[Explosivo]

I don't use a knife, I cut it with the side of my fork in My right hand and my left arm just flaps around.

 

[Conscript]

Right handed.
If I'm using just a fork, I use it in my right hand.
But, if using a knife and fork....fork in the left hand, knife in the right.

It's weird, I'm perfectly fine using the fork in the right hand on it's own, but if I have to hold a knife as well, then it feels wrong, so I swap and put the knife in the right.

O_o

EDIT:

Right handed
Knife in right hand
If eating with only a fork, that in right hand
Spoon in right hand

Missed this post at first! thought I was the only one.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I suspect it's mostly just stemmed from tradition.

As I posted above, it stems from when we were caveman and ate with our weakest hand while fighting off attackers with our strongest hand.

 

[cheesyboy]

Apparently the reason why we put a fork in our left hand goes back to when we were cavemen fighting others off our food with our strongest hand while we ate with the left. I'm no longer a caveman so put my fork in my right hand.
Even though right handed I'm incapable of cutting food with my right hand and would just make a mess.

Can't imagine during fighting off attackers is the sort of time a caveman would be tucking into his supper, to be honest.

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Can't imagine during fighting off attackers is the sort of time a caveman would be tucking into his supper, to be honest.

Similar to how we see apes and monkeys in the wild now, eating with one hand while they push others off because they want to take their food.

 

[Rimsy]

Yep, right handed with fork in right hand, why would you cripple yourself by using the knife in your dominant hand?

Cripple yourself? This is eating not doing a Rubik's cube one handed.
Always assumed by adulthood most people had mastered the basic dexterity required to move something from plate to mouth with either hand.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Similar to how we see apes and monkeys in the wild now, eating with one hand while they push others off because they want to take their food.

Anyone who’s grown up with greedy siblings will relate to this practice.

 

[azazl187]

The correct way to use a knife and fork left or right handed is knife in right and fork in left.

Anything else and you are an uncultured animal.

Can I also just say that there is no such thing as left handed. You just had lazy parents that didn't teach you how to hold things correctly and with the correct hand.

 

[G-MAN2004]

No hands. These are dangerous weapons and should be handed in to the police.

 

[Conscript]

Can I also just say that there is no such thing as left handed. You just had lazy parents that didn't teach you how to hold things correctly and with the correct hand.

Prince William is left handed. I'm pretty sure that if anyone would have had parents teaching them etiquette and how to do things "correctly", it would have been him.

 

[Simon42]

I am left handed and use fork in left, knife in right because I was taught that way. However I think the fork is the main implement for eating so that feels correct anyway (if using a spoon also use left hand).

Oddly I often use keypads (alarm, ATM etc) with my right hand. However my parents thought being left handed was a problem ("why is he cack handed?" they used to ask) and so tried to make me do everything right handed, from writing to sport. I remember being told off at school for using a right handed cricket grip in a left handed stance although it made some great hook shots possible.

Ultimately I am pretty ambidextrous these days so although I favour left, I'll switch to right if it suits the task or tool.

 

[Andrew_McP]

As a lefty (using the default fork left, knife right control scheme) I always assumed that the traditional arrangement came about because the fork's a simple tool... point and stab, whereas the knife requires more controlled force to cut what and where you want. So it made sense to have the knife in the dominant hand.

Generally my preferences are a mess though. I can't use a spoon or write with my right hand, but I can't easily use keys in my left. And if I had to join a drugs gang and fight with a knife I'd have to use my right hand too. And don't get me started on how to hold a bow and arrow! Fortunately longbow practise is no longer compulsory.

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM

 

[Bickaxe]

It's interesting the divide and logic used to justify why the preference for fork in left or right hand, surely the only real logic is because it's the way you were raised to eat

Both my parents are right handed and use a fork in their left hand. So although I see your point and believe it has some basis, it doesn't apply to me (and possibly others).

As for the caveman theory. I support that more as it just means I'm more evolved than some of you

 

[Diddums]

As far as I'm concerned, not being left handed is a birth defect. It's ok though, us intellectually superior correct handed people still love you, it's not your fault.

 

[Minusorange]

As for the caveman theory. I support that more as it just means I'm more evolved than some of you

We're better prepared to defend our food during an apocalypse, so your evolution makes you weaker