Bolt cutter

A cutter comprising a rigid bar having at one end a cutting edge intermediate its opposite longitudinal edges facing in a predetermined direction, a second rigid bar having at one end a cutting edge intermediate its opposite longitudinal edges facing in a direction opposite said first cutting edge and at its other end a recess, pivot means pivotally connecting the two bars for pivotal movement relative to each other to move the cutting edges toward and from each other, means for effecting pivotal movement of the bars relative to each other from a position in which the edges are separated for receiving the part to be sheared to a position in which they overlap comprising a lever arm pivotally mounted on the first bar on a pivot spaced from the pivot connecting the second bar to the first bar and with a portion of the lever arm situated between the pivots such as to overlap said other end of the second bar, and first and second force-producing elements fixed to the lever arm forwardly of its pivot axis at different radial distances from the pivot axis arranged to be brought into engagement with the other end of the second bar at outer sides of the recess and within the recess to effect relative movement of the cutting edges toward each other at a relatively slow speed at the beginning of the blade movement to apply a high cutting pressure and thereafter a lower cutting pressure at a relatively high speed throughout the remainder of the blade movement.