Spinning reels. Close with handle or hand?

[briansnat]

I've been fishing with spinning reels since the early 70's. As a kid my dad instructed me not to "force" the bail closed with my hand, but to turn the reel to close it. I've been doing this since.

I just saw a Youtube video from a bass pro about the mistakes that even veteran anglers make. One of them was cranking the handle to close the bail. In the comments there were a few people who agreed and said it was bad for the reel to crank the handle to close the bail.

Some of my spinning reels are approaching 30 years old and have shown no ill effects from using the handle to close the bail.

So I was just wondering, how many here close the bail with their hand vs. using the handle to close the bail?

[SaltLife1980]

I use my hand.... No pun intended

[NJSquatch]

hand unless i need to start reeling in quickly on a badly targeted cast....

[pacrags]

I usually use the handle ... read this post an hour ago and just sat back at the computer and googled fishing tips on a whim and clicked on a top 10 list with a more valid reason to use your hand

4. Cut Down on Tangles
The dreaded wind knot can be prevented, or at least reduced, by manually flipping over the bail on your spinning reel after a cast. This keeps the line from twisting as it works its way from the bail to the line roller, which it does when the bail is snapped shut automatically by turning the reel handle.

[acabtp]

close with hand 100% of the time
difference with tangle reduction more noticeable with braid than with mono/fluoro

[shrimpman steve]

Hand. Reduces wind knots.