Tin Snips

[Am333rcr]

hi

As the title says. I am looking for some good tin snips . i will be cutting no more that 0.7mm.

What brand to buy?
thanks
alistair

 

[pedrobedro]

I've had some cheap aviation snips for years now and cut up to 1.2 with them. They do the job easily and not too much effort as they are a cantilever design. Go for 10" Gilbows if you want conventional snips for thin sheet.

 

[droopsnoot]

I've always had trouble with tin snips, cutting up to 1.2mm, until I watched a video showing how to use them properly. I think my decent ones are Stanley, though my green pair are some cheap brand that came in a set of three for hardly any money. The Stanley ones are noticeably better.

This is the video, though there are quite a few others on YT:

Using Tin Snips - YouTube

I think my problem was that I was trying to cut too much off. I've certainly had a lot more success since I did more trimming down using other methods and just used the snips for the last bit. And I also used to use the yellow / straight ones for everything, partly because they were my best set. Now I mainly use the red ones as I'm usually cutting along the left-hand edge of the workpiece, partly because I'm left-handed and it's the comfortable side to cut for me.

 

[James1979]

Gilbows

 

[Parm]

Gilbows are the traditional favourite. Wiss are also very good

 

[Dcal]

For thin stuff, you can't beat a hand nibbler.
They don't distort the material because they make a double cut.

I've had a set of EDAM SD for years and never use tinsnips now.
The blades can be broken if you force them by cutting tight bends in heavy steel but otherwise faultless and all spares are still available.
I do use an electric shear which is also brilliant.
If you do go for a nibbler, get the closed end type which while more expensive just work better.

Can't find a link to my EDAM version but these look identical.

https://www.misterworker.com/en-gb/...IsX5mzh81h8yT-DZetSd0XcjjpT5lulIaAuZUEALw_wcB

 

[500e]

Got a fair few Old Gilbows still cut well some with offset handles, not my go to tools, never feel comfortable in the hand, run a fine stone over them occasionally to keep edges.
Have a set 3 of Blue Point aviation snips (sold by Snap On but there are other suppliers) donkeys years old still cut like new.
Friends say Mid West & Bessey;s are worth the money.
Read somewhere Wiss are not US made now
The link by @Dcal show Nipex so should be good love their other cutters

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I was lucky a few years ago...bought an old school work bench and it came with an 8 inch bench shear attached. I generally use that for big cuts and then trim with the snips. Using snips for bigger cuts still works but just easier with the big shear.

 

[brightspark]

2 pairs of gilbow cranked handle tin snips 1 right hand and one pair of left hand . you cant go wrong

 

[Am333rcr]

thanks everyone again

 

[eddie49]

For thin stuff, you can't beat a hand nibbler.

Otherwise known as a "Monodex" :

 

[keithski122]

Wiss or midwest aviation snips.Red handled ones.I tend to use mine upside down to how you would think of using them.

 

[Hitch]

Mine are 20 year old Bluepoint aviation type, which I believe are/were made by Wiss at the time.
Still cut like new.
Red, Green and yellow, (Right, left, staright) depends on what you're doing, but red probably get the most use.

 

[chrisbeee]

Wow.... every day, is a school day. I have just found out, i have a pair of the yellow harbourfreight tin snips, and not really much use, apart from 1 inch notches. I am sure i have a really old set somewhere, but i think i might have taken them apart and used them as tyre levers, ( possibly 30 years ago) anyway, i think i need to go tin-snip shopping

 

[Blue Chips]

For thin stuff, you can't beat a hand nibbler.
They don't distort the material because they make a double cut.

Agreed. I like to use a hand-operated nibbler for the more delicate/intricate cuts. The little yellow-handled nibbler in the photo below is an old Vaco tool, later sold by Klein Tools, but I don't know if it's still in production.

Otherwise known as a "Monodex" :

Great tool. I have borrowed a similar tool, which I think was made by Knipex, but I don't own one (yet).

Gilbows are the traditional favourite. Wiss are also very good

Red, Green and yellow, (Right, left, staright) depends on what you're doing, but red probably get the most use.

I have some Wiss aviation snips, regular and offset, for straight/right/left, which I've been using for over 30 years, and they still cut like new, as long as I keep the jaw pivot bolts snugged up a bit.

I love my pneumatic nibbler (see photo), although it makes a mess with all of the sharp little pointy pieces it punches out. When I use it, I put a tarp under it to catch the bits so that they don't end up in my shoes, tires, or knees.

The electric KETT Double-Cut shears (see photo) is a great tool for making fast cuts with decent edges. Check the video: YouTube video of Kett KD-440 Double-Cut Shears

 

[SierraV6]

These are my favourite snips out of my collection:

ELORA Ideal Tin Snip, left cutting, ELORA-1484L-260

ELORA Ideal Tin Snip, left cutting, ELORA-1484L-260 Shop up to 36% discount | 30.000 Tools on Tools-Giant Online Shop

www.tools-giant.com

I have some compound action Bessey aviation snips which are nice too but those Elora ones cut very very well. Gilbows are ok to a point but I’ll admit I find them hard work!

On 0.7mm don’t discount pelican snips for long straight cuts, they can be useful.

 

[Shox Dr]

Nibbers are good bits of kit. Just bear in mind those little cresents get everywhere, esp the soles of shoes. Perfect for destroying new kitchen flooring.

 

[Cobbler]

I bought a Lidl air shear some while ago, didn’t expect an awful lot, but it was cheap in the oddments, but it really is good. It works a bit like an air powered Monodex & cuts easily what is hard going with snips. How long it will last if used heavily I don’t know, but it looks very similar to the Machine Mart ones at 3 times the price.

 

[Seadog]

I picked one up last year on a whim. It seems to handle thickish sheet without too many problems.

 

[droopsnoot]

Nibbers are good bits of kit. Just bear in mind those little cresents get everywhere, esp the soles of shoes. Perfect for destroying new kitchen flooring.

Yes, and if it's hot weather and you're wearing shorts while using a nibbler to carve a section off a larger sheet, they get down the sides of your shoes as well. And at that point, they're very hot.