One can never have enough cutting tools. Many users use tin snips to cut a wide range of materials, but utility shears or scissors are often a better choice. These Knipex combination shears feature spring-action handles, a locking lever, hand guard, and adjustable pivot joint.
The blades are made from stainless surgical steel, and the handles impact-proof plastic. You can use these shears to cut almost any soft material – plastic sheets, aluminum, cardboard, copper foils, and other such materials, but NOT steel or iron.
Advertisement
Knipex doesn’t elaborate on what makes these combination shears. There are several shear styles available – straight blades (two sizes), angled blades, and round cable-cutting blades. Some have serrated blades to help grab onto whatever it is you’re cutting.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Steven B says
Reading the warning on the tool handle, the ee’s looked like oo’s. Please don’t use these to cut THAT material, either.
Stuart – have you seen or heard of the Seber ratcheting bench vise? I saw a 5″ model in Costco (in the box only with no display unit). Their website is horrible and really does not say much. I was able to find their patent application. What is it with people not providing info for educated consumers to make a purchase decision with?
Stuart says
The ee looking like an oo is more of an image compression artifact – I’ll see what I can do about finding a higher-resolution image to use.
As far as the Seber ratcheting vise goes, I have never seen or heard of it, and agree that their website is atrocious. And for the product demo video, the vise is held down with C-clamps. It tells you a lot when a manufacturer doesn’t even permanently install their product in their own shop!
Given the limited info available to me, I’d say the Seber ratcheting vise is a very light-duty vise. Do you remember approximately how much it was selling for at Costco?
Steven B says
I stopped in Costco tonight (needed fuel) and looked at the box. It is $60, Chinese made, and imported by Costco written on the box (therefore we are unlikely to see it at other retailers). The box claims to have a bunch of different jaws in the package – steel, aluminum, and I believe nylon. I only had < 5 mins – not enough time to get a decent pic on my phone (flash is broken). Still no display unit visible, and no detailed specs on the box other than dimensions, throat, etc. I like the concept of rapid set and release, but not at the expense of clamping ability. Without the specs, I have nothing to compare it to. It'd be a cool vice for lots of stuff, but when you need a vice to REALLY clamp on something, I'm pretty sure this isn't the animal you'd want to have. I'd also want to be sure I could get replacement jaws shipped at a reasonable price. I have no faith that this will be possible or available given their website design.
DC says
I like the quick-release vise based only on the YT video. Too bad it’s Chinese.
Alex says
Contrary to a popular believe there is no such thing as a “surgical steel”.
They use all kind of steels to make surgical instruments. The only common thing most surgical instruments have is a high corrosion resistance.
When a manufacturer or a seller instead of telling you what exact steel they use claims that they use “surgical steel” you should avoid them.
fred says
@Alex
While I would agree with your assessment that manufacturers that resort to hype to sell their products – are worthy of avoidance – I have not found Knipex products to be inferior in any way. In fact we have dozens of pairs of their smooth-jaw plumber’s plier-wrenches in several lengths – and these are “go-to” tools for us – day in and day out. Don’t know anything about these scissors – but if they are of similar quality they will be worth owning.
Cool says
I’ve looked at the Kniplex brand and while some of their products are well made, there are cases where these products are slightly over exaggerated. The high price with some of their products also can be hard to justify if your a average DIYer in some cases as well.
Several months ago I went to my Sears and picked up a similar Utility Shears with the exception that the Shears weren’t from Knipex, but form Midwest Snips.
Not only are these snips made in USA, but I only paid 11.98 for these and they are industrial grade as well. I wouldn’t cut steel with them either, but they can cut various items including sheet metal, leather.
Here is a link to the product on Amazon and a extensive review I found. http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Snips-P657-N-Knifti-Cut/dp/B003IWAIL8/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
fred says
Klein Tools is another source for USA – Made Snips and Shears:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=klein+snips&x=14&y=19
fred says
@Cool
I did not mean to endorse these snips – only to say thet Knipex seems to produce good products. I’ve also know that high quality or not – some foreign tools do not work well with US standard equipment – so be aware when you buy that a wire stripper or terminal crimper etc may be precision- made – but not precisely for US wire gauges.
As far as Midwest Tools – I’ve found them to be a reliable quality brand – with many of their tools to be of similar design to our old standby Wiss and Malco Snips. Wiss and Malco snips used to be made in the USA – but things change so fast that I don’t know anymore. I do know that Malco seems to be rebranding some tools made by Edma in France
Stuart says
I have those Midwest utility snips and a similar Proto version, and they are FANTASTIC. When I found the Midwest ones at my local Sears a few years ago, I picked them up on the spot. They were inexpensive, made in USA, and very compact, so how could I refuse? I only wish that there was a version with spring-action handles.
fred says
Klein’s variety has a spring – but unfortunately costs twice the pirce
http://www.amazon.com/Klein-24001-Spring-Action-Snip/dp/B0014070CG/ref=sr_1_13?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1332705776&sr=1-13