Nippers (side cutters) are the first tool of the hobby: small precision pliers that cut parts off the runner. Hobby nippers differ from hardware-store cutters in blade geometry — thinner edges, tighter tolerances, and in the best tools a single-blade design where one flat jaw supports the part while the other blade shears.
The price ladder is real but has a sweet spot: a $15–20 gateway nipper builds kits happily for years; a single-blade tool in the $40–85 band cuts so cleanly that nubs nearly vanish. The expensive blades are delicate — gates only, never wire or pinning brass.
See it in context in our nippers & cutting tools guides, or explore the tools hands-on in The Bench.