J. Wiss Bulldog snips

Text + photos: Jerry Blanchard

Gear | J. Wiss and Sons No. 5  “Bulldog” metal snips with inlaid blades “Special for alloy and stainless steels” were introduced in 1937. They are my favorite metal snips, and I have long used them at my own bench and with my students. The long handles give them much power, even for small hands. The first models were 17 inches long, but by 1963 they were shortened to 16.5 inches. The blades are crucible steel forge-welded to the drop-forged frames and are hardened and tempered to stand up to cutting tougher alloys. The finest grades of J. Wiss and Sons scissors and snips had crucible steel inlaid blades. Their lesser tools were forged but not inlaid. 

Wiss was absorbed into the Cooper Tool group in 1976, and the design of this model of snips has been greatly changed. Fortunately, many of the fine older J. Wiss and Sons snips show up on eBay. I just purchased a beautiful 17-inch-long pair from an Ebay seller, and I am gifting my old pair to an artist friend. If you try these great snips, I think you will like them.