Bonsai Tools

First let me start by stating a difference in japanese bonsai tools and chinese bonsai tools. Chinese tools are more cost affordable but often built of lesser quality. Japanese tools cost more, and often comes in various grade. You usually find novice, intermediate, Professionnal. All graded at different price from lowest to highest. Then, you have the stainless steel tools, wich are the summum. They are often professionnal grade but rust-proof.

As a beginner, If you want to try bonsai, you can start with chinese tool, since they dont cost alot, but once you will have used chinese tools, and if you get to try a japanese pair of pliers of cutter, even the novice one, you'll notice the quality difference and will want to only use japanese tools in the future. So, novice japanese tools are ok for a beginner ? You bet. Once you'll get more serious about bonsai, you can start to upgrade your bonsai tool kit.

As for wich tool you should use, the first tool often considered and recommended is the concave cutter.

Google image of concave cutters

Concave cutter are use to cut branches of small to somewhat large size. They comme in various for and shape.

But what about just trimming a newly acquired bonsai ? Well then a nice pair of long neck shears are in order.They are called satsuki shears.

Google Long neck shears

Or you could use a small leaf trimmer just like those :

Google Bonsai leaf trimmer

Those are about the basic tools for bonsai. Each bonsai tools regularly comes in various size. Size usually vary from 5-11 inches, but the most common are 8 inch tools. Since they are mass produce, they usually are cheaper to buy then smaller and larger size.

Many different other tools could be used and you often discover their particular use as you learn bonsai. Practice makes perfect and help you learn alot. Some of the tools I use are:

• Copper wire, Gauge 1 to 6
• Raffia material
• Chinese eating stick
• Cut paste
• Tweezers
• Hemp Broom
• Soil Sieve