There are many types of shears used to shear or cut sheet metal.
A throat-less bench shear
Close-up of upper blade, lower blade, backgauge and work-holding device of a Gasparini guillotine shear
Throatless shear
Closeup of shear jaws
Snips, also known as shears, are hand tools used to cut sheet metal and other tough webs. It is a cutting tool. Workers use various types of snips, with the cutting edges being straight or curved to various degrees. The style of edge employed will depend if a straight sheer or some type of shapes cut is necessary. There are two broad categories: tinner's snips, which are similar to common scissors, and compound-action snips, which use a compound leverage handle system to increase the mechanical advantage.
12" Gilbow tin snips. Made in England.
Right cutting and left-cutting compound-action snips, respectively; the green snips are an offset-pattern
Tin snips