There are number of tools that are used by a bonsai enthusiast. To a beginner they might seem a little complicated. However, a beginner does not need all the tools. A beginner, who is concerned with basic maintenance, will do well with a concave pruner, bud scissors, knob cutter, wire cutters, pointed steel hook or a pointed piece of wood.
Bonsai Tools
The concave pruner is the most important tool in bonsai. The concave pruner is based on the fact that wounds on trees' trunks heal from the sides rather than from the top to bottom. That is why a concave pruner heals a wound, whose length is more than its width, and is concave in shape.
Bud scissors are used for pruning leaves, buds, and small branches. Bud scissors are used for delicate work. The short blades and finger holes allow one to reach into the interior parts of the bonsai.
Bonsai wire cutters are used to remove wires positioned around trunks and branches. Bonsai wire cutters have very short blades which aid in wire cutting. Most bonsai enthusiasts use copper or annealed copper wires to shape trunk and branches. When you are removing the training wire make sure that you only use the tip of the wire cutter to remove the wire. This ensures that the trunk or the branches are not damaged in the process.
Knob cutter is a very important tool to have for bonsai maintenance. Knob cutter is used to remove protruding stubs, roots, and wood. With a knob cutter removing excessive roots or wood becomes easy and fast. Knob cutter offers precision and effortless cutting.
Root hook is used when you are repotting a bonsai. A pointed piece of wood will also serve the purpose of a root hook. This tool is used to remove soil and untangle roots. Multiple point hooks are good for removing soil and single point hooks are good for untangling the roots.
Root cutter, as the name suggests, is used for pruning roots. Some people use the concave cutter for the purpose; however, the risk of damaging the tool is great as there might be stones in the soil. It is best to use a root cutter because it has thick and coarse blades and is resistant to damage from stones. It can also be used to prune thick branches.
When it comes to price and quality of bonsai tools you will find that there is a huge variety. There are cheap Chinese tools that are not of good quality. Japanese tools are available in several grades. Japanese tools are any day better than tools made anywhere else. Even poor quality Japanese tools will do the job in bonsai. For beginners it is best to invest in inexpensive Japanese tools.
