Shears for cutting off sections from a material tape, especially a steel cord tape, pulled through by means of a material gripper of a gripping device, with a stationary lower knife and an upper knife, which can be moved relative to the lower knife, and a delivery belt, consisting of a plurality of parallel sectional belts, below the upper knife is disposed, an overarm, which laterally embraces the sectional belt of the delivery belt lying above it, being disposed, which supports the material tape during the cutting process and can be moved downward with the upper knife, the trailing end of the cut-off tape section being clamped and secured in position.