Lecture 8 – Bonsai Tools Bonsai Beginners Course Before we deep dive into the essential techniques of styling bonsai Let's discuss the necessary tools. There is an incredible variety of specialized tools available For all aspects of bonsai design and maintenance But to get started you'll only need to add a few specific tools to your arsenal. These include scissors Concave cutters Wire cutters And pliers. Scissors are the everyday bonsai tool. We use them to trim small and medium-sized branches Cut leaves, and prune roots during the repotting season. We recommend getting a sharp twig shear with a long handle Which is useful when pruning your trees. Concave cutters are also a must-have tool. These are used to remove larger branches Creating a concave wound that will heal flat and smooth. Concave cutters are available from cheap steel tools that will last a few years at best To gorgeous stainless steel works of art. Wire cutters are used to cut the wire we apply to the branches When shaping the tree into a bonsai. The best wire cutters are those with a snub-nosed end, for close cutting. A pair of pliers is also handy for attaching guy-wires and securing wires during repotting. The plier we recommend is called a Jin plier. Like I mentioned earlier, there is no need to purchase many bonsai tools right away. Start with a good quality scissors, concave cutter and wire cutter. I recommend purchasing Japanese brand tools As their steel tends to be better made and the tools last longer. Kikuwa is my preferred brand, although Kaneshin is also a good brand. Apart from these specific tools You'll also need some basic supplies such as the substrate mentioned in the previous lecture A few gauges of bonsai wire, and some pots. The longer you grow bonsai, the more tools, trees, and pots will be added to your collection.
