How to Use and Maintain Hand Snips

Hand snips are the best tools to use for cutting light sheet metal, up to about 1/16 inch thicknesses. Hand snips may cause tiny metal fractures; so it's a good idea to cut slightly outside of the actual cutting line. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Know how hand snips are made. Snips can come with straight or a serrated (notched) edge. The serrations make for less slipping and they cut easier but they also do a little more edge damage than straight blades. They have a straight edge with an 85 degree angled cutting edge and they range in size from 6 to 14 inches long.

2. Know how to use snips properly. Never cut heavier metals than the snips are made for as this can spring the blade. When this happens, there's no way to fix them. They will also be nicked and dented by too heavy a material.

3. Keep your snips oiled. Don't keep them in a tool box where they can bang up against other tools. Snips are not sturdy and too much clanking together will dull, chip or even break the blades.

4. Hang snips up when your not using them or place them in a drawer or some other place where they will be stored alone. With proper care and cleaning, a good pair of snips can last for many years.