Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. handcuffs.

1891

Newcastle Eve. Chronicle 21 Feb. 3/2: Accused did not offer to go quietly till the police had the ‘snips’ on him .

2. a pair of scissors.

1908		W.H. Davies Autobiog. of a Super-Tramp 210: If you carry in your hand a decent rake, (comb) a flashy pair of sniffs [sic] (scissors) and a card of good links and studs—that is certainly a good bible for a living.
1926		W.H. Davies Adventures of Johnny Walker 191: Scissors – snips.
1935		X. Petulengro Romany Life 239: The scissor-grinder [...] calls at cottages, collects a dozen or so pairs of ‘snips’ as he calls them, grinds and delivers them.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 819: snips – Scissors; wire cutters.