Aviation snips are designed to cut through stainless steel sheets of metal. They are built with springs to self-open when cutting the metal sheets. Most of the aviation snips have offset blades, allowing the mechanic's hand to stay above the metal sheet while cutting and avoid being injured by the freshly cut sheet. Military sheet metal is ordered in large quantities. The sheets are cut and fit together to create the outer body shell of the military aircraft.
Sheet metal on aircraft requiring repairs is installed with rivets. Most of the repairs require the rivets to be spaced in even rows. The spacing is determined by the area and size of the repair being done, among other factors. A rivet fan has a number of evenly spaced holes and can extend twice its length. As the fan extends, the spacing in the holes also increase. Rivet fans can be set to measure specific rivet spacing.
Safety wire pliers are designed to twist several strands of metal wire into a braid to provide extra security to components in high-vibration areas. Military mechanics tighten the aircraft bolts to a specified torque. A safety wire is inserted into a pre-drilled hole on the tightened bolts and then attached to a nearby component so that the safety wire holds the first part in place. A small-gauge safety wire can easily be installed by hand, but mechanics use safety wire pliers for heavier wire.
Aircraft jacks are built to provide stability when lifting a military aircraft. The aircraft jack does not interfere with the aircraft's components, like the gears and doors, thereby reducing the time spent repairing the aircraft. Different jacks are used for different military aircraft.