Sharpening of bonsai tools

[Beaumatsu2]

Hi Ausbonsai,

I was just wondering if anyone has some tips on how to sharpen concave and branch cutters. I always find these two hard to sharpen I can never get it as perfect as I want them. There has to be a good trick to it haha.

Thanks,
Beaumatsu


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[Pup]

I see that no one has answered this post.
My suggestion would be to search in Masakuni site,s to see what they have or use the search resource here.

[pebble]

With a concave wet stone, don't ask me where to get one because I haven't been able to find one yet


Cheers dwayne
I'm a bonsai newb

[wrcmad]

With a concave wet stone, don't ask me where to get one because I haven't been able to find one yet

I think this is the one you are after: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Okatsune-Sha ... SwVFlT5wCN

[JaseH]

No need for a concave whetstone, a narrow flat one will do. They are a single bevel edge so you only need to sharpen the outside edges.

Its a little hard to explain without demonstrating, but open them up and first sharpen the edge that fits 'under' the opposing edge when closed. Keep the same angle as current edge and dont take too much off. Then close them up and sharpen the outer edge by running the stone flat across where the edges meet, you should almost be scuffing both halves. I probably haven't explained it well - like I said its hard to explain without demonstrating

The trick is to not take too much off or you risk doing it unevenly and the edges wont mate together again correctly - requiring some more thorough repair work to even it all up again.

[Ray M]

Hi Beaumatsu2,
Branch cutters and Knob cutters have overlapping cutting edges. Make sure you preserve this overlap, if the overlap is removed you will prevent the tools from cutting correctly.

Regards Ray

[Beaumatsu2]

No need for a concave whetstone, a narrow flat one will do. They are a single bevel edge so you only need to sharpen the outside edges.

Its a little hard to explain without demonstrating, but open them up and first sharpen the edge that fits 'under' the opposing edge when closed. Keep the same angle as current edge and dont take too much off. Then close them up and sharpen the outer edge by running the stone flat across where the edges meet, you should almost be scuffing both halves. I probably haven't explained it well - like I said its hard to explain without demonstrating

The trick is to not take too much off or you risk doing it unevenly and the edges wont mate together again correctly - requiring some more thorough repair work to even it all up again.

Thanks JaseH, I think I understand what you mean.

Thanks for the help everyone

[Steven]

Here are a few video's I found on Youtube;

[treeman]

If you saw a microscopic image of the edge of a blunt tool, you would be surprised how rounded it actually is. What the tool manufactures don't tell you that it's extremely difficult to get the edge back to factory sharpness. To do that you need to remove an equal depth of metal from across the whole outer face of the blade. Doing that by hand with a stone takes an enormous amount of elbow grease. (I'm talking about scissor types here) Even if it's a mere 0.25mm, your arms will be dropping off by the time you do it. IF you do it! Usually we end up needing to change the original pitch to get a sharp edge and this reduces the efficiency of the tool.
Really, you should find someone with proper grinding machines. Concave cutters are beautifully designed but they are not really designed to be sharpened more than a couple of times. After that they become more and more useless. You need to start removing some of the stop so the edges meet and they are never the same. It's a nightmare.

[Pup]

I have a pair of Kaneshin black steel branch cutters now 30 years old. Have sharpened myself a few times. Still work well.
What I have found over the years, of being a member of clubs, when they have a workshop in the past I have been asked if I would sharpen tools for the members. 90% of the time all that is needed is to CLEAN them. Always after use CLEAN them this stops the build up of resin and sap and rust.

Cheers Pup.

[melbrackstone]

Thanks Steven, for the videos, and thanks treeman and Pup for your extra info.

Cleaning regularly is one thing I try to do... if nothing else!

[Beaumatsu2]

Thanks Steven, treeman and Pup. A lot of helpful information


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