Powerful cuts: Our sheet metal shears for effortless metalworking!
All-purpose shears, also known as aircraft shears, rolling shears or tin snips, are the most popular shears as they can exert a higher force compared to other shears of the same size due to the design of their linkage. They were originally developed for cutting aluminum in aircraft construction, which is why they are often referred to as aircraft shears. They can cut aluminum up to a thickness of 1.02 mm, mild steel up to a thickness of 0.511 mm or stainless steel up to a thickness of 0.405 mm.
There are three types of shears: straight, left-cutting and right-cutting. Straight shears (usually with yellow colored soft handles) cut in a straight line and in wide curves; left-cutting shears (usually red) cut straight and in a tight curve to the left; right-cutting shears (usually green) cut straight and in a tight curve to the right. These different cutting styles are necessary because metal is stiff and heavy and does not easily move out of the way when cutting around a curve. The respective styles move the material out of the way when cutting in the direction they are designed for. The blades are usually serrated to prevent the material from slipping.