How to Choose Bonsai Tools

How to Choose Bonsai Tools

Cultivating Bonsai is an art that is interesting a growing number of people all over the world. If you are about to start this activity and need some information to choose the correct tools for the care of your bonsai, in this post you can find some interesting advice.

Gakin Stainless Steel Root Bonsai Scissors
Gakin Stainless Steel Root Bonsai Scissors

Some might think about buying a complete kit of bonsai care tools, but – especially if you want to buy quality tools – you will have to spend a lot of money. There are also cheap tool sets, but honestly we do not recommend this choice as you would have in your hands bad quality tools that could even harm your trees and after a while you will have to replace them because their lifetime is very short.
So our first tip is to start with the purchase of a few quality tools – the best ones are Made in Japan, of course – and add more tools later.

A short introduction about the material: there are bonsai tools made from carbon and stainless steel. Carbon steel tools are less expensive but not less performing and less valuable than stainless: carbon steel offers a very high cutting performance with the only handicap that is subject to corrosion. This can be easily overcome, by always keeping the instruments, especially the scissor blades, clean, dry and lubricated.
Stainless steel instruments do not rust, offer excellent cutting performance but are more expensive.

Bairyu Carbon Steel Twig Bonsai Scissors
Bairyu Carbon Steel Twig Bonsai Scissors

But now let’s get to the point: what bonsai tools do you need to get started?

The first is definitely a good pair of Scissors or rather two pairs! A pair of scissors with long handles and narrow blades to cut twigs and leaves and another pair with stronger blades to cut roots.

Second step will be to buy Pruning Pliers, the one with concave cut is definitely the most used by expert bonsaists, as it allows a sharp cut of the branch near the trunk so that wounds can heal quickly.
To make a perfect pruning you would need also Pliers with Spherical Cut which partially empties the wood, thus helping a faster formation of scar that will fill the void avoiding the production of bulges.

Other tools

Once you have purchased these basic tools and have made some experience, you can move on to the next stept with the use of the Wire, for which you will also need a Wire Cutting Tool, either a pair of Scissors or Pliers as well as Wire Folding Pliers, also called Jin Pliers. The Wire is available in both aluminum – often used with anodized finish – and copper in different thickness and length.

Finally, a Rake to clean up the ground and possibly even a Sharpening Stone to keep the Scissors always sharp.

Carbon Steel Bonsai Tools Set
Carbon Steel Bonsai Tools Set

We hope this short post gave you some hints to help you to choose the right tools to care your bonsai trees and feel free to contact us if you have any question. Good luck with your work!

If you want to have a look at our range of Bonsai Tools, please visit our online store.

Click here to read other Gardening posts.

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