Less than $200 shears

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am a high school art teacher and I am looking for shears tht are
less that $200 to cut the millions of ring shanks I need to cut. My
carpel tunnel does not like the aviation shears. Anybody know of a
good make and model? There are so many out there. I can’t afford the
$600 pepe shears.

Carolyn Thom

2 
I am a high school art teacher and I am looking for shears tht are
less that $200 to cut the millions of ring shanks I need to cut.

Carolyn, how many of your shanks are straight cuts? For those, I use
a big, old, heavy paper cutter. It’s quick and straight. I recently
cut a rectangular shank out of a sheet of 20-gauge nickel-silver. No
problem.

Judy Bjorkman

3

I don’t know if you are cutting the metal when it is flat, but if
you are a paper cutter is a great cutting tool. I bought an old one a
long time ago on Ebay and I have also purchased a new one. The old
one works better because they were just made better…good, sturdy
wood base and heavy blade. The new one cuts metal also but just
watch the gauge of metal you try to cut. Sometimes school districts
have those old paper cutters in a storeroom somewhere and you might
get it for no money. The blades can be resharpened also. Don’t know
if this helps but as a former teacher I know we have to get very
creative at times to make things work. Best of luck to you in your
endeavors. Lucky kids to be getting the opportunity to learn metals
in high school.

Pat Klein

4

Dont know if this is possible.

Years ago I bought a large pair of Gilbow ‘duck bill’ shears in
England. I know they still make them. And I still use them. Though I
have a guillotine.

I put one handle in the vice and can use a combination of body
weight and hand control to cut metal, up to 2 mm thick, ie. ring
shanks and great for circles. I recently bought a long curve bladed
heavy pair of German aircraft offset shears. The excellent American
ones are generally too small and have serrated blades.

So put one handle in the vice and you can extend the other handle
inserted into a suitable piece of pipe. Or weld on extentions for
leverage.

David
jewellerydavidcruickshank.com.au

5

David,

So put one handle in the vice and you can extend the other handle
inserted into a suitable piece of pipe.

Great idea for those of us who are strength impaired. Thanks,

Jamie

6

you should look at this one:

they also make an 8 inch and a 12 inch (I have both of these)

Even the small one will chop fingers so it may not be the best thing
in a school environment. Good paper cutters also can do this !

jesse

7

Thanks for the ‘Grizzly’ info. I was talking about hand shears when
I suggested the vice and extension. The Guillotine can be locked by
putting a short bolt (largest possible) through the rod cutting hole
and tightening a nut on it. Too tight for little fingers to undo. Or
could you buy or roll out strip. Pass this on to ‘cthom’

David
jewellerydavidcruickshank.com.au