Hand-operated guillotine shears are a type of cutting tool that is manually operated and often used in workshops, blacksmith shops or small factories. They are also called manual or hand guillotine shears. These shears consist of a blade that rests on a fixed support and a movable cutting bar that holds the materials to be cut. The operator operates a lever or crank to push down on the movable cutting bar, and the blade then cuts through the material. Hand-operated guillotine shears are typically designed for cutting thin sheet metal and metal plates, and can also be used for plastics, paper or other materials. They have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive, easy to operate, and space-saving because they do not require an electric or hydraulic power source. However, they are usually less powerful than automatic or motorized shears and require more physical effort from the operator.