Bonsai Dude

For those who wish to practice the art of Bonsai, there is an extremely bewildering number of tools available for you. These dozens of Bonsai tools have over the millennia evolved and are specialists in their use. These tools will help you perform most of the tasks necessary to produce and maintain an intermediate to advanced Bonsai collection. Remember that every Bonsai tool is designed for every Bonsai activity and using the correct tool is the surest way of getting the correct result; you’ll be able to train and shape the tree to exactly how you want it to look with the least amount of effort. Below is a list of basic bonsai tools for Bonsai enthusiasts.

The Most Basic Bonsai Tools By category
1. Leaf and Branch Prunning tools
· Concave pruner: The concave pruner is considered the most important bonsai tool. Its primary function is to remove branches in such a way that enhances healthy, smooth and rapid healing of the wound; it actually makes a clean flush cut. The concave pruner is also often used as a root cutter when completing the initial potting of an untrained bonsai.

· Wire cutters: Are used in cutting away wire from the branches in a bid to minimize any possible damages to the cambium and delicate leaf buds. The wire is normally used during the training of the bonsai to position and shape the trunk and branches. This training wire should always be cut off without causing damage to the plant barks.

· Bud scissors: Are the best tools for trimming buds, leaves as well as small branches. The tool has finger holes and the short blades which give the user excellent control enabling you to reach into the interior parts of the tree for trimming with precision.

· Knob cutter: Are also called spherical cutters. It is used when removing excess amount of root material, or when removing callous or knobs from the bonsai.

2. Shaping tools
· Jin pliers: Is the most ideal tool when making Shari and Jin on a bonsai plant by stripping or nibbling away at the branches that are to be transformed into a Jin. It can also be used for wire tying and unwinding.

· Branch splitters: Are used for splitting the heavy bonsai branches along their length in two or more layers. This makes the branches more pliable and therefore easier for re-position. Branch Splitters are also used to eke out large chunks of deadwood from the plant.

· Bending Jacks: Used to gradually and slowly bend the thick and stubborn Bonsai tree branches.

3. Re-potting tools
· Root cutters: Used to remove or shorten large roots when plotting untrained material for the very first time. It has a thicker, coarser blade construction that is not easily damaged by the small stones. It can also be used for rough pruning of branches that are too tough and thick for the same size concave pruner.

· Root Hook: Help to untangle the root mass when reporting. The single-pronged hook, is specifically used to tease out all the individual and difficult Bonsai roots, whereas the multiple-pronged hook is used to un-tangle root balls.

· Rakes: are used for working and loosening the upper surface of the Bonsai soil in the Bonsai pot so as to remove debris or to agitate the topmost soil if it has got compacted or to remove surface weeds.

· Other re-potting tools include spatulas, tweezers, scoops, sieves and drainage screens.

4. Carving tools
Carving tools are used in bonsai carving work such as deadwood carving. They include hand saw, Si Diao and Shari Carving tool, and grafting knife.