The price of a pair of jinning pliers is substantial and if you don't use them often it is a waste of money. Also, often the bark is too tight to the branch to allow jinning pliers to easily remove it.
I've recently found the best jinning tool that leaves pliers well behind. It is light, it is cheap, it is easily replaceable and it works a treat.
The common household potato or vegetable peeler.
Who needs a dedicated tool when this little beauty does an even better job. I have road tested it on a juniper being styled and then walked it up the street and jinned a couple of fairly substantial branches on a 10 metre high juniper. It removes the bark neatly, doesn't leave a ragged path behind and can also refine the point of the jin quite naturally.
Road test it yourself and see. Definitely a good tool for the box.
COOL JINNING TOOL
- MelaQuin
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1340
- Joined: November 7th, 2008, 2:16 pm
- Favorite Species: olives & natives
- Bonsai Age: 20
- Bonsai Club: Illawarra Bonsai Society, Bonsai Society of A
- Location: St George Area, Sydney Australia
- Been thanked: 1 time
COOL JINNING TOOL
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by MelaQuin on July 8th, 2015, 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Jason
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1543
- Joined: November 23rd, 2012, 1:00 pm
- Favorite Species: Melaleuca and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Bonsai Club: Bonsai Society of WA
- Location: Perth
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: COOL JINNING TOOL

What a genious idea! I love these tool 'hacks', so many cheap alternatives to the normal bonsai tools

Have a question? The AusBonsai Wiki most likely has the answer!
Looking for a Nursery or Club near your? Check out the AusBonsai Directory which lists them all

Looking for a Nursery or Club near your? Check out the AusBonsai Directory which lists them all

-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 321
- Joined: December 1st, 2010, 12:48 am
- Bonsai Age: 13
- Bonsai Club: Canberra Bonsai Society; Weston Creek Bonsai Group
- Location: ACT
Re: COOL JINNING TOOL
You can also use a pair of needle nose pliers from the hardware store. They are cheap and can get into tight spots.
So the Redwood turns to the Bonsai and says "Lend me a Tenner"......
- Firecat
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 286
- Joined: June 7th, 2015, 4:07 pm
- Favorite Species: Squatty
- Bonsai Age: 26
- Location: Boronia
- Contact:
Re: COOL JINNING TOOL
To add to your jining tool I use split 'bamboo' as a clean up.
It's razor sharp.
It leaves NO scratches, won't cut into green or dead wood and it is about $8 a bundle in lengths from 600m to 1500 mm at Bunnings.
I cut it into 150mm lengths then squash it to split in half or quarters and use it like a scalpel or scrapper to remove fine bark and any little knobs.
Great for digging out pesky buds without cutting into the bark or damaging re-growth nodes .
And it's environmentally friendly,plantation grown, renewable and when dulled either re-split for a new cutting edge or toss into the recycling bin.
Regards Steve.
It's razor sharp.
It leaves NO scratches, won't cut into green or dead wood and it is about $8 a bundle in lengths from 600m to 1500 mm at Bunnings.
I cut it into 150mm lengths then squash it to split in half or quarters and use it like a scalpel or scrapper to remove fine bark and any little knobs.
Great for digging out pesky buds without cutting into the bark or damaging re-growth nodes .
And it's environmentally friendly,plantation grown, renewable and when dulled either re-split for a new cutting edge or toss into the recycling bin.
Regards Steve.