Snips are essential for cutting through thick materials such as tin, leather, shingles, and more. They’re great for heavy-duty cutting jobs that would not be possible with standard scissors. The best part about snips though, is even the most high-end options are relatively affordable. Our following buyer’s guide will walk you through the essentials to keep in mind when you’re looking to purchase a pair of snips.
Snip Types
Tin Snips
Tin snips are most often used with sheet metal, and come in a variety of different sizes for use with different gauges of aluminum or stainless steel. These snips are usually the hardest to use as they don’t have any features that make cutting easier; rather, it’s all based on muscle.
They come in two different varieties:
Straight Pattern
Tin snips are designed to slice materials in straight lines as well as long, gentle curves.
Duckbill Pattern
Tin snips feature tapered blades that make it easier to cut circles and other shapes.
Compound-Action Snips
Theseare frequently used in the aviation industry. They are easier to use than tin snips due to the their compound action design which increases the force applied while cutting. They come in three different varieties:
Straight Cutting snips
Cut in straight lines and wide curves. They usually have yellow grips.
Left Cutting
Snips cut in straight lines and tight curves to the left. They generally have red grips.
Right Cutting
Snips also cut in straight lines, as well as tight right curves. They most always feature green grips.
You can also purchase compound-action snips combing all three varieties in one tool.
Pipe and Duct Snips
These snips make use of compound action to cut materials with their three cutting blades. They’re used to cut stovepipe, ducts made from tough materials like fiberglass or hardened plastics.
Blade Configuration
Compound-action and pipe and duct snips feature three different configurations:
Straight
Is the standard blade configuration for snips.
Is used for curved and long cuts.
90 Degree
Snips are used for work in tight,enclosed spaces
Cutting Capacity
Snips are measured based on the gauge of steel they can cut through with each pair usually featuring a stainless steel and cold rolled steel rating. The lower the gauge rating, the thicker the metal the snips can handle.
Comfort Grip
Using a pair of snips for extended periods of time can cause considerable hand fatigue, especially with variety used for cutting tin. As such, comfort grips are very important, especially if you’re a professional looking for a pair of snips to use on a daily basis.
Corrosion Resistance
Snips are frequently used by professionals in environments like warehouses and outdoors worksites so rust resistance is of particular importance. Like most hand tools, corrosion resistance is achieved through either polished or powder-coated blades.