These American Breda glass nippers were originally made for the stained-glass market, but have been enthusiastically adopted by mosaic people.   Two main things distinguish them from other wheeled nippers; first, the handles are made from incredibly light (but strong) carbon fibre, in a 50:50 mix with nylon.  They weigh just 150g without feeling in any way flimsy (Leponitts are just over 300g and Seabell wheeled cutters are about 250g).  Second, their shape has been completely re-thought.  The cutting wheels sit at an angle to the handles (unlike most other wheeled nippers where the blades are on a straight continuation line from the handles).  This doesn't sound revolutionary, but the new ergonomic shape means that the effort you exert when squeezing the handles is transmitted much more efficiently to the blades.  Even on this small scale, engineering which takes account of how our human joints work makes a huge difference.   The manufacturers claim - but sadly without publishing any back-up evidence - that you get five times more force than with regular nippers.   But I don't think they are exaggerating too much.

The changed shape of the handles does, of course, mean that the nippers have to be adjusted to suit the right- or left-handedness of the user.  This involves swapping the wheels from one side of the handles to the other but this is very easily done and only requires a small Phillips (cross-headed) screw-driver.   There are full instructions with the nippers.   I'm a leftie, so I was pleased to see how well I'd been catered for by the designers. 

The other important thing to note is that you will only get the benefit of the new ergonomic design if you hold the nippers in the right way - and this involves a slightly different approach to that used with Leponitts or other nippers.  So there may be a slight learning curve, but I certainly found that within just a few cuts the nippers felt absolutely natural in my hands.  The knack is to hold them at an angle that means the blades are perpendicular to each other when you cut.  The instructions which come with the nippers make this clear, and there are lots of videos out there showing you how this should look. The shaped handle grips virtually ensure that you can't get your hold wrong, so it is really only the angle of the blades that you need to be conscious of.  

Other innovations include a screw near the blades which you can adjust to alter the extent to which the handles spring open.  Like Seabell glass nippers, these Breda ones also have rubber rings behind the cutting blades which should stop your waste glass pinging off uncontrollably.

My only reservation; the makers are only recommending these for cutting glass up to 5mm thick (the jaws open considerably wider than that and the earlier version of these nippers was advertised to cut glass up to 1cm, so I am not sure why this alteration has been made to the recommendations).  This does mean that they are not explicitly recommended for cutting smalti. 

These nippers are on the expensive side but I think they are going to be incredibly useful for anyone with hand or wrist problems, of for those of us who end up cutting for long periods.  

You should always wear a mask and eye protection when cutting mosaic materials. Unfortunately Mosaic Workshop can't accept returns of cutting tools which turn out not to suit you, so please think carefully before buying.  If you are finding it very hard to make a decision please contact me as I may be able to lend you tools to try (you will pay a deposit, and for postage in both directions).  In the case of faulty goods we will, of course, accept returns - please see notes in the website footer.