Tin Snips

Tin snips are an essential hand tool in every roofer's kit. They are used for cutting and trimming metal sheeting, flashings, gutter sections, and other sheet metal components during installation and repair work. Modern tin snips use a compound-lever mechanism that multiplies the cutting force applied by the user's hand, allowing clean cuts through steel sheet up to approximately 1.2mm thick with relatively little effort. Tin snips are available in three configurations, typically colour-coded: straight-cutting (yellow handles), left-cutting (red handles, which curve to the left), and right-cutting (green handles, which curve to the right). Roofers use the appropriate snip type for the direction of the cut, with left and right cutters being particularly useful for trimming around curved or irregular shapes. Offset or aviation snips keep the user's hand above the sheet metal, reducing the risk of cutting their hands on sharp edges. In Gippsland roofing work, tin snips are used primarily for trimming flashings, cutting gutter joiners, adjusting valley iron widths, and making minor modifications to roof sheets. For long, straight cuts in metal sheeting, power tools such as electric shears or nibblers are generally preferred, as they produce a cleaner cut and do not distort the sheet edges. Town & Country Roofing uses quality professional-grade snips and cutting tools to ensure clean, precise cuts on every project.