TEKTON left aviation snips are ideal for straight or curved cuts when scrap is on the left, cutting up to 18-gauge cold-rolled steel and 22-gauge stainless steel. The snips also cut softer materials such as aluminum, copper, plastic, and vinyl. They are not recommended for cutting hard metal wires or metal mesh. The hardened Grade 8 pivot bolt passes freely through the first jaw, then threads into the second jaw before being secured with a nylon locknut. This design prevents the jaws from spreading during a cut. The micro-serrated blades grip material as you cut so it doesn't slip or push out like it can with smooth blades. As a trade-off, the serrated edges leave a slightly textured cut and aren't meant to be sharpened. The handles are spring-loaded and locked with a latch that unlocks when you squeeze the handles together. The latch has a thumb lever that extends above the handle to manually lock the snips. A loop at the bottom of the handle serves as a tether point so you can attach a safety lanyard when working at heights to prevent drops. Left snips are identified by an "L" stamped into the blades, a laser-marked handle latch, and red handle grips.