Tin snips.

[Fiji]

I'm in market for a couple of snips for doing some metalwork on Land Rover. At moment I need some aviation type ones and also a decent set of shears.
Local place sells King Tony or Black Panther, anyone have experience with these or can recommend anything else ? Are Gilbow still around ?

 

[pedrobedro]

Lots of Gilbows still around look on Amazon and the like. Aviation snips are easier to use though with a cantilever mechanism you get more cutting power.

 

[Burdekin]

The bench mounted shears are excellent and would consider them, two types the straight and throat less.

 

[mr haynes]

If to be used on 0.8, 1.0mm then the offset Stanley ones work and are cheap here in UK. I prefer offset to save the knuckles.
Currently use Bahco, though at twice the price of the Stanley

 

[brightspark]

gilbow shears cut thicker metal than aviation snips and have longer handles

 

[500e]

Have a set (3) of Blue Point, have had them for 30 years pays to buy the best you cant afford
Bessey, Midwest & Wiss are good as well.
Have a load of Gilbow & Pike snips but always reach for the Aviation snips out of preference

 

[graffian]

Have a set (3) of Blue Point, have had them for 30 years pays to buy the best you cant afford
Bessey, Midwest & Wiss are good as well.
Have a load of Gilbow & Pike snips but always reach for the Aviation snips out of preference

I have a few pairs of Gilbow snips and Wiss offset aviation shears. The gilbows realy are a last
resort, I have never liked them. My red handled Wiss shears went into hiding and I bought some
"pro-snips" they are fine.

 

[brightspark]

I bet they wont cut 2.5mm sheet steel gilbows do . look at post 20 here I bought them knacked for 3 quid and re sharpend them https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/avation-tin-snips.49570/

 

[daedalusminos]

I've got a new pair of 10" Gilbows....max capacity is approx 1mm steel. Not overly impressed but they do the job.

 

[eddie49]

Monodex nibbler gets my vote.

 

[keithski122]

I found those hand nibblers gave me blisters using them.I vote for snap on/bluepoint or midwest.Midwest you can get from toolstion.I always use the straight cut ones, can't get on with the left or right ones.Sometimes using them upside down helps for cutting.

 

[Hitch]

I've got a set of blue point aviation snips, probably about 15 years old. Pretty sure Wiss were making them for Snap-on then.

Never been a big fan of gilbows, I don't like the way they snap shut at the end of the cut.

 

[Dcal]

Monodex nibbler gets my vote.

Another vote for the Monodex hand nibbler.
They are brilliant and don't distort the metal, but you need to be careful cutting around corners as it is easy to break a blade on curves.
Having said that I can cut intricate shapes in 1mm mild steel no problem with my set.
They are also brilliant for cutting internal openings in steel sheet. Just drill a hole to get the blade in and cut away. Try doing that with tin-snips.

I also have a Bosch electric shear which is a brilliant bit of kit and my go to tool for cutting thin sheet metal.

Laying in the bottom of a tool box I have an air nibbler (the one that makes crescents off cuts and leaves them everywhere) and an air shear.
Both are useless.
The nibbler has no power and the shear can only cut in a straight line.

 

[500e]

@brightspark I think a lot of Gilbows are blunt people either don't think of sharpening or leave it till they are really knackered, have always looked after mine with a fine diamond lap or Arkansas stone even the aviation ones, still don't like them

 

[gaz_moose]

can you sharpen aviation snips? ive some 'pro-snip' ones and they are pretty blunt.

 

[500e]

I have always gently stoned mine but they are not abused, a very fine stone or diamond i just give them a rub if I notice a burr or feel they are not cutting clean, seem so work they are over 30+ years old & still cut 2thou shim cleanly.
Remember they started life as a quality product, some of the ones for sale are ****