Multiple purpose compound action snips

A compound action cutting snips, comprising:

• a pair of handles mutually connected at a handle pivot at distal ends of the handles, the handles forming a grip for a hand having a predetermined angular range of movement between an open position and a converged position;
• and
• a pair of cutting blades, each blade having a proximal end attached to a distal portion of one of the handles and proximal to the handle pivot, and the blades mutually connected at a blade pivot to form a cutting length from free ends of the blades to a crossing point, so that converging movement of the handles causes converging cutting movement of the blades;
• wherein a ratio of a maximum cutting length of the blades to a length of the handles is about 0.4,
• wherein the handles have a range of movement of about 45.degree. through a distance at proximal ends of the handles of about 4.5 inches;
• and
• wherein a change in cutting length caused by the converging movement of the handles is at least 0.05 inches/degree.

A compound action cutting snips, comprising:

• a pair of handles mutually connected at a handle pivot for pivoting movement between an open position and a closed position, a distance between the open and closed positions being in a range of about 4 inches to 5 inches for manipulation in one hand;
• and,
• a pair of cutting blades, each blade having a proximal end attached to a distal portion of one of the handles, the blades being mutually connected at a blade pivot for pivoting movement between an open position and a closed position, and the blades having a maximum cutting length at the open position;
• wherein the handle pivot is proximal to the blade pivot;
• wherein converging movement of the handles causes converging movement of the blades, and,
• wherein a ratio of the maximum cutting length of the blades to a distance between the open and closed position of the handles measured at handle butts is at least 0.5.

Compound action cutting snips for single-hand use, comprising:

• a pair of handles mutually connected at a fixed handle pivot at a distal end of the handles, the handles having a length measured from the handle pivot to a butt end in a range of 5.7 to 6 inches;
• and,
• a pair of cutting blades, each blade having a proximal end attached to a pivot in one of the handles proximal to the handle pivot, the blades being mutually connected at a fixed blade pivot, the blades having a length measured from the blade pivot to a tip end of at least 3.75 inches, the handle pivot and blade pivot being located on an axial centerline of the snips, the handle pivot being proximal to the blade pivot, so that converging movement of the handles causes converging movement of the blades;
• the blades each having a cutting edge that has a curvature convex in the direction of the centerline of the snips;
• wherein the blades are pivotable between a fully opened position and a closed position, a maximum cutting length being a free length of the blades when in the fully opened position, the maximum cutting length being at least 2.5 inches.