I can cut in both directions, however in most cases I cut with the waste on the right. First off, the blade cuts a little smoother on the left. But most importantly I always know where the waste is while I'm cutting. In doing intricate fret work, you can sometimes lose track of which side the waste is. I will turn the piece so the blade cuts into the wast to make a sharp turn. Since I always cut with the waste on the right, I will never use the good side to turn into.