A piercing tip assembly has two piercing tips, each having two sets of piercing and shearing edges. The tip is reversible so that the tip can be detached from the shears, its orientation changed, and replaced on the shears so a fresh, sharp set of piercing and shearing edges is exposed during use. The tips are reverse by rotating each tip and replacing the tip mounted on the right side of the jaw, and switching the tip on the left side of the jaw to the right side, and the tip on the right side of the jaw to the left side. The piercing tip assembly protects a substantial portion of the upper jaw of a metal shears from wear.