# Does anyone who roofs everyday use a shingle shear?



## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

We have been building homes for 38 years. No I am not too old, but I am looking at another winter of shoveling snow to shingle. Is there anyone who uses some type of shingle shear each day? I was wondering if there was a better way to cut cold!! laminate shingles than with a knife or stacking them up a using an old circular saw. Thanks guys.


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## WNYcarpenter (Mar 2, 2007)

Get a shingle shear...you can price that into one job!....


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

WNYcarpenter said:


> Get a shingle shear...you can price that into one job!....


True.

We use large Malco Snips. Winter jobs are rough and shingle shear is a workout to get up on the roof. Assuming we are talking about the same thing.


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## WNYcarpenter (Mar 2, 2007)

BamBamm5144 said:


> True.
> 
> We use large Malco Snips. Winter jobs are rough and shingle shear is a workout to get up on the roof. Assuming we are talking about the same thing.


I'm thinking of just a paper cutter type of tool....


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## Splinter hands (Aug 31, 2011)

Shingle shears work great hot or cold. You won't be disappointed if you buy one. As for weight, about 20-30 lbs. not a huge deal IMO to get on the roof for the time it saves. You can also set angles for your valley cuts on it.


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## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

Thanks! Which model of Malco Snips have you had the best luck with. Thanks for your post, Jon


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## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

Thanks for your post. Which shingle shear have you been using?


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## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

Thanks Splinter Hands. Which shingle type shear works the best for you in cold weather?


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

No never used one.

A few Winters ago did use a circular saw to cut 250ft of valleys on a Landmark TL job. Speaking of which starting one today with the TL's...


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

JonDesignBuild said:


> Thanks! Which model of Malco Snips have you had the best luck with. Thanks for your post, Jon


We have good luck with these









They are not as good when they are brand new as they are after you cut with them for a while. With the proper technique you can cut a rake edge by using the rake metal as a guide. Quick and easy even with heavy weight lams on winter days.

They are good for valley cuts as well. 

Here is the google search result

There is another pair that is identical except they have a black and red rubber coating on the handles


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## CarrPainting (Jun 29, 2010)

if you have roof top delivery, why not load the shear onto the conveyor belt as well?


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## SDC (Jan 12, 2009)

This is a no brainer for me. :thumbsup:
They are about $200 and weigh in at about 5 lbs...how hard is that to bring on a roof...my pouch weighs more....:laughing:
They will cut summer or winter, on steep roofs there is a strap you can nail to the roof to keep it from sliding off. The slide on the left has all the measurements on it. I tend to use a sharpy to mark the starters, just line them up and cut. It will even cut off just an 1/8" if necessary. 

I put the square on there for scale :whistling









View attachment 57997


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## MJW (Jan 27, 2006)

^^^^^Have the same one. Works great especially with heavier shingles in the cold months.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

hook blades are for summer, winter is for vacation!


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## dave_dj1 (Mar 16, 2010)

We use a "shingle shark" , not everyday but for every roof. It's bigger than the ones shown above but works great and it's quick as all get out! 
It seemed like a lot of money when I bought it ($260.00) but has paid for itself over and over.

We have two seasons in these parts, winter and construction!


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## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

*Thanks to Each of You for your input!*

Tried an antique pair of snips today. They worked great in both the morning rain and the afternoon snow. Wish I could say the same for myself. I am going to also try a shear. Thanks for all the great suggestions. Jon


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## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

Mr. Latone: Thanks for the info on snips. I had never thought to try them before. They worked just great today. Many Thanks, Jon.


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## JonDesignBuild (Oct 26, 2011)

SDC: Thank you for taking the time to post the photos of the shingle shear. I will take your suggestion and try one. Thanks Jon.


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

SDC said:


> This is a no brainer for me. :thumbsup:
> They are about $200 and weigh in at about 5 lbs...how hard is that to bring on a roof...my pouch weighs more....:laughing:
> They will cut summer or winter, on steep roofs there is a strap you can nail to the roof to keep it from sliding off. The slide on the left has all the measurements on it. I tend to use a sharpy to mark the starters, just line them up and cut. It will even cut off just an 1/8" if necessary.
> 
> ...


 I use what is a previous model of the same brand-works great- but I really only used maybe 2-3 times a year- use snips a lot but primarily hook blades.
stephen


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

CarrPainting said:


> if you have roof top delivery, why not load the shear onto the conveyor belt as well?


 Carr- roof top delivery occurs the day before we start the job- so we aren't present for the delivery,ever-and are working on another job when it happens
also the shear only ways a couple pounds and I would be embarrassed if I couldn't carry it up a ladder myself.
BTw- it's good for pre-cutting starts to establish a stair step up a right hand rake or for pre-cutting multiples of the same size like 25 at 19-1/2" up an eave but I never have used it for a right hand rake or a valley.
stephen


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## Splinter hands (Aug 31, 2011)

JonDesignBuild said:


> Thanks Splinter Hands. Which shingle type shear works the best for you in cold weather?



Sorry about that. We use the shingle shark. I bought it a few years back, we had a 96 sq. roof to do on a log place so I gave it a shot and now we use it all the time.


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## Donovan (Jan 29, 2008)

Foolish to not use one. We use the one SDC posted pic of. With this we are able to make straight cuts for rakes and valleys even when shingles are cold without having to worry about cutting the felt or lower valley shingles. As said before, you can price it into one job. Its a must have.


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## JWilliams (Nov 11, 2008)

havent installed shingles in afew years but i never used a shingle shear. my trusty hook blade knife was all i used. but then again thats just how i was taught. im sure it varies from person to person


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## jmiller (May 14, 2010)

JWilliams said:


> havent installed shingles in afew years but i never used a shingle shear. my trusty hook blade knife was all i used. but then again thats just how i was taught. im sure it varies from person to person


I'm guessing it doesn't ever get cold enough to need one there. That said, we brush the snow off to roof all winter and only use hook blades too.


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## Splinter hands (Aug 31, 2011)

jmiller said:


> I'm guessing it doesn't ever get cold enough to need one there. That said, we brush the snow off to roof all winter and only use hook blades too.


You should give the shear a try you will love it, guaranteed.:thumbsup:


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## JWilliams (Nov 11, 2008)

it gets in the high 30 to low 40s at times during the winter here. but not to cold. im sure the shingle shear comes in handy for some people but ill stick with my hook blade.


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

Just a thought for those of you who have never tried a pair of snips.....

One can make a decent argument for their use:

1. costs less than a 100 pack of hook blades

2. will last as long as several 100 packs of hook blades and possibly much longer

3. they don't replace a hook blade knife, they just add another method for cutting

4. they can eliminate ratty ass cuts on cold heavy weight shingles 

5. they can (help) eliminate bloody knuckles

6. while all of you on this forum are masters, think of the rank and file and how many of them have made cuts on cold shingles that you thought looked like ass 

I resisted using snips for years after I first heard of anyone using them. I don't know why, maybe because I am stubborn and thought, " I already know how to cut shingles well". 

I remember my first Certainteed Grand Manor job - late autumn/winter 1998, probably 500 feet of open valley. We had a table set up with dedicated cut man for the valley shingles. He had a detail torch like one would use for single ply modified to warm the shingles and would cut to order. It sucked and was slow, but I could not have the crew butcher those valley cuts on the roof. If I was using snips then, it would have been much different.

I always have a hook and a straight. Most of the time I have the snips as well.



For you guys who use copper..........I think I had about 1100 pounds of copper on that job and the cost was around $1400....those were the days


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## seeyou (Dec 12, 2008)

We have the one posted. It doesn't come out every job, but it's indispensable on a Grand Manor or similar job.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

I don't use snips much. 

I've used the Cleasby. 
I can cut a book of laminated shingles in 60 seconds. 
(a square's worth in under 5 minutes). 











The Classic Roofer's Knife: 









Of course, there's also my trusty Stanley Titan (best Roofer's Knife ever) w/AJC Big Hook Blades. 











I'd love to try these out: 

And Air-Knife: 









Shingle Saw: 









Turbo Shears:


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## jmiller (May 14, 2010)

I wish I could still find the Stanley 'made in england' utility knife for sale in the U.S. That's the holy grail of roofing knifes.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

jmiller said:


> I wish I could still find the Stanley 'made in england' utility knife for sale in the U.S. That's the holy grail of roofing knifes.


*Here you go brother: *
https://www.google.com/search?q=sta...h=549&tbs=p_ord:p,price:1,ppr_min:20&tbm=shop
:thumbsup:


I gave the model number to my wife and she ordered me a pair. 
Bestest Birthday Present Ever!


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

jmiller said:


> I wish I could still find the Stanley 'made in england' utility knife for sale in the U.S. That's the holy grail of roofing knifes.


This is true. 

I think you can still order them online.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

BamBamm5144 said:


> This is true.
> 
> I think you can still order them online.










Yep. I posted the links for him.


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## 232323 (Mar 31, 2008)

Hes right about Cleasby shingle cutter...best on the market by far. The stops are adjustable which is nice. Doesnt really work for valley cuts, but other than that, it works great. Probably had mine for 10 years and thousands of squares of shingles installed...would never be on a roof without it. 












2ndGen said:


> I don't use snips much.
> 
> I've used the Cleasby.
> I can cut a book of laminated shingles in 60 seconds.
> ...


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## donerightwyo (Oct 10, 2011)

We've had the air powered Turbo Shear for over a year. The shingle shark for ever. The turbo shear is awesome, mostly for cutting valleys. Takes alot of air though. Still use hook blades and large snips too but every tool has its place.


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