Everything Bonsai

Tools For A Lifetime

Bonsai is in a way like photography, it is possible to buy dozens of expensive "add-ons" to the basic equipment.

Some tools are helpful, others merely give you the feeling that "Gee, I'm really an artist'.

Remember, "tools do not make the artist - the artist uses tools".

There are tools which are essential to creating the work of art that is each individual tree.

Shears, cutters, tweezers, rakes and others will help you shape the bonsai tree.

They can help you make the difference between a small, scraggly plant and a beautifully sculpted bonsai tree.

The first tools recommended may surprise you: paper and colored pencils, or a good design program.

"Begin with the end in mind" is the catch-phrase of all thinking artists.

You need to envision the final result, which in the case of a bonsai tree may be decades in the making.

Your vision needs to be made concrete, in the form of an image that you can refer to over the months and years of shaping.

You don't have to be rigidly locked into your initial idea - the tree will often resist your efforts. But you should have some specific goal in mind that is consistent with the nature of the individual plant before you.



In order to realize that vision you'll need a good set of shears. You will use them for cutting, trimming and shaping.

A good pair, well kept, will last many years.

A poor quality pair will wear out, rust and be useless within a year or two. In the long run you will spend less by buying quality.

Bonsai Shears need to start sharp and to be kept sharp.

Ragged edges, which look smooth to your eye but are evident at the tree's level, will produce poorer results.

Have you ever noticed, for example, that a ragged wound heals badly, much more so than one cut cleanly?



Concave cutters are essential to shaping the bonsai tree. A concave cutter is the single most important tool for bonsai use and for which there is no substitute.

Paradoxically, that rounded scar heals faster than a straight one.

The final result will be one that makes it difficult to see that any branch existed in the first place.

The high carbon steel of this concave cutter will keep a sharp edge indefinitely when properly used and cared for.

Sooner or later you will want to wire your bonsai to shape the trunk and branches, in order to produce varying styles and variations within a style.

Bonsai wire is essential for that purpose.



But unwinding wire after months or years represents a great risk to the tree. It should most often be cut and removed instead.

But without the proper wire cutters it is nearly impossible.

Wire is wrapped tightly and often covers a large portion of the tree. It needs to be snipped off in small sections without stabbing or snipping the trained branch.

The wire cutters pictured here are designed specifically for removing bonsai wire.

They are designed with a rounded head to prevent damage to the trunk and branches when removing wires.

The jaws of the cutters cut the wire symmetrically and cleanly and are highly recommended for the bonsai enthusiast.

Remember to be careful when cutting the training wire, and not push or apply too much pressure on a branch or the trunk.



Helpful Add-Ons

Though not essential, the following tools will nonetheless help you achieve a sculpted bonsai tree.

These helpful add-ons can make the difference between a ten second task and drudgery. They can also help you perform the task cleanly, without undue risk to the plant.

A folding saw is helpful when you have thicker branches to remove.

Trying to remove larger branches with a cutter can put excessive stress on the tree since it requires you to open up the jaws further than you can easily control.

If you have to make more than one cut, the tool is too small for the job. That results in cuts which are not clean, and ragged wounds don't heal as well as clean ones.

With it the bonsai artist can clear dirt and rocks from within the roots and separate small and medium sized capillary roots during transplanting and repotting.

Some novices will be inclined simply to shake the dirt out of the root ball, but this can easily lead to a broken tree.

Also, by clearing the dirt and gravel away from the roots before you prune you'll prolong the life of your shears and pruners.

The grit and sand in the soil will dull the blade of the shear and they will then need to be sharpened more often.

However, many experianced bonsai artists find that a simple "chop-stick" works just as well as a root rake.



Bonsai tweezers are a good supplement to the thumb and forefinger for pinching off dead or new growth, in order to refine the shape of foliage.

Used for snipping off leaves and smaller branchlets and great for trimming buds and reaching deep with minimum disturbance to the surrounding foliage.

It's finger rings are also well suited for smaller hands.

That kind of 'fine-tuning' can make the difference between "done" and "well finished".

Beyond these there are dozens of specialized tools that make the work easier and many different styles of these basic and helpful tools.

Jin pliers, for example, are used to strip bark and create deadwood for decoration.

Branch benders are a set of clamps used to supplement wire work. Also, many different styles of engravers exist for carving work.

It helps to speed healing and minimize the shock of wounds when styling bonsai or repairing branches.

A quick drying sealant containing insecticides and fungicides, it forms a smooth, dark cover that remains quite flexible.

As you can see, like photography, the list is endless.

But whatever tools you find helpful, buy quality.

Quality counts. Good tools will last years and maintain a sharp edge much longer when re-sharpened.

Spend a little extra up-front, and you'll find yourself saving money in the long run and achieving better results on this living art you spend so much time developing.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening!