Gilbow shears

[fuz]

Does anyone know where to find gilbow hand shears in the US. I used them all the time in NZ but never thought to bring any with me, thinking I could get them here.

Thanks
Brian

[jhnarial]

I just looked but did not find any

[Jim Stabe]

Do they work better than Wiss shears? What advantages do they have?

[Chris Bspoke]

There was a disscussion on shears here.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=536

might help a bit Jim

Cheers

[fuz]

I have the Wiss, have not tried the Klenk. Thanks for the link Chris, gives another option.
The Wiss are good for upto 18Ga its when I want to cut 16-14, the bulldog type really only nibble the sheet due to throat length. The Gilbows have no problem cutting the heavy gauge, although can be hard work if your not used to it.

[Mark Fox]

Hi Brian, Try this. https://www.alltools.com.au/shop/ind...in_Snip_Pliers

Hope this helps.

[joemato]

Every British panel beater I,ve seen swears by these, pass them down to their kids, etc. In the UK metal shears are known as Gilbows. I've been able to find them on ebay and from sites there. I just got a pair with 14" handles. Joe

[sblack]

I have both. The common aviation snips leave a serated edge on the panel. The gilbows do not. The gilbows require a bit more force, but the handles are longer so you have more leverage. Since the aviation snips have a different design for left vs right I think they are possibly a bit easier to use, but the Brits have been known to cut the odd pc of sheet metal and somehow they dealt with it.

John Glover got his from his Dad in the 40s and I suspect they are still cutting today. The gilbows are bigger, heavier and bullet proof. He said that when he started apprentising they made him cut out every pc used in the shop, including parts that should have been done in a shear. It was part hazing and part traing I suppose, but he got very at it and would not think of using anything else.

I got mine from a UK supplier off ebay (I'm in Canada). That's where I would look. They are not common here and are not widely known.

Like manythings english vs american they are not better or worse, just different, except they are old world quality and so much of what we buy now is chinese copies of what were once quality american tools, but are now made with poor tolerances, poor metalurgy and by people who are living and working like slaves so they don't give a damn whether the stuff works or not, and why should they. Sorry for the rant.

In closing, I like them

[KAD]

I bought a new set off eBay they are made by Irwin and I have to say that they were the worst made and finished tool I have seen in a long time.

The angles were ground all over the place and the outside finish looked like it had been done by a 9 year old and not a talented one at that.

After talking with a few people about them it turns out that the old one's are great and if you have a set cherish them....the new one's are total crap.

If you get a new pair and they work then likely they are making them in different places and you got lucky, but at the price of these things it shouldn't be a crap shoot as to if they work or not.

Obviously I was very unhappy with the set I got and it took me a long time to finish them to resemble a picture of what they should look like.
I threw them in the drawer in disgust

This was my view of the pair I got you could get lucky...you might not.

[steve.murphy]

They still sell new Gilbows here, about $50 AUD.
I bought this pair at a yard sale for one dollar. It was rusty, dull, and the pivot was sloppy. Wouldnt cut a thing.
I drilled out the pressed rivet and replaced it with a screw. (Amazon UK lists relacement bolts and nuts, must get one). Cleaned up the rust by soaking in vinegar, resharped the cutting edgr with a diamond file. Now it cuts paper. I havent decided if I want to grind it back where the tips are chipped. Since then I have found two smaller ones at another sale for one dollar each. Going by the age of mine I can see how they can last forever with a minimum of care.

Gilbow Shears.jpg