Bonsai Tools

[Perry the Pom]

G'day,
I have been looking at the different types of Bonsai tools. Some are Chinese some are Japanese some are chrome and some are carbon steel. The ones I looked at today at the local nursery were $100 for a set but are chrome and can't be sharpened. What suggestions have you ladies & gentlemen on purchasing tools? I'm only a beginners so only want the basic tools.
Cheers Perry

[Pup]

Hello again Perry, they are probably chrome vanadium,they can be sharpend' but you will the exspose the steel underneath.
Have a look at what is in the kit and then try to buy them individualy.

There have been a lot of posts on this subject. There are a lot of pet preferences, and a lot of conjecture. My own take is to buy the best you can afford, they then should be kept clean and sharp.

Good scissors should not be like dress scissors they should have a bit of slack, so that when you try to cut something that is to heavy they will spread.
Branch or concave cutters some others are called wen cutters. Have to have an overbite if it does not it will not cut cleanly. There should be no daylight seen when they are closed.
Secatuers, are good to use as root pruners, do not use your good scissors or you branch cutter's for pruning roots.
I hope this is of some help.

Cheers Pup

[Graeme]

they then should be kept clean and sharp.
Cheers Pup

Sooooooo, this is where I have gone wrong then

Perry, if you can afford it go for Stainless Steel Tools, but DO NOT buy cheap Stainless. Dont buy the real expensive ones either, all you are buying is a name. (That will start the comments!)

(P.S. My tools aren't really all dirty or blunt ....... some are blunt and the sharp ones are dirty )