Alligator shears are used for cutting long metal stock or scrap, generally where accuracy is not an important consideration, and the size or shape of the material makes other cutting or shearing options (such as a cutting torch) impractical. Alligator shears are often used in conjunction with large metal shredders in the metal recycling industry, to 'clean' or prepare scrap for shredding by removing unwanted fittings and other parts the shredder will not accept.