AusBonsai

Hi everyone

I'm only new to this site (and bonsai) but am loving reading all the interesting posts and pictures that you all put up. It's also really great seeing the more experienced enthusiasts helping out the newbies, so thankyou in advance
I recently purchases my self a kit which included all the basic and essential tools for tree maintenance, and was wondering what are the best cleaning products for keeping them clean and sharp. I was worried about using certain oils as i didn't want any residue to be passed onto the tree next time i used them, especially when trimming the roots.
Any help would be great, thanx
Luke

Gday Luke
Welcome to the forum. I would recommend you get a Creanmate block for keeping your tools clean. I have used one for a long time and they are pretty cheap for what they do. It is a rubbing block that will remove all the sap and residue and you tools will last longer if they are kept in good condition.

Andrew

Andrew, Where do you find creanmate?? I’ve been hearing about them for a while and wanting one, but not sure where to look? I checked out Ebay with crossed fingers, but to no avail :/ I’ve been a bit slack with cleaning of my tools the last few months!

Red Dragon Bonsai sell them online.

Hey Nathan next time you come to a meeting the club sells them on the sales table

Also Tess at Bonsai Northside

Well I have never seen this product before, and after a quick search online found this link.

http://kaneshin-seki.com/crean_mate_use.htm

Seems you can also use it to clean pots as well !!

What a versatile little spongey scourer thingy !!

I dont know what it is exactley but think I could use one in my tool kit.

crean mate...perhaps the name was lost in translation ?

Thanks everyone.


Paul

NathanM wrote:Andrew, Where do you find creanmate?? I’ve been hearing about them for a while and wanting one, but not sure where to look? I checked out Ebay with crossed fingers, but to no avail :/ I’ve been a bit slack with cleaning of my tools the last few months!

Bimer Bonsai Club have them for sale or did when I visited.

Pup

and Japanese Camelia oil to keep them lubricated

don't use the rust prevention sparys, especially on black tools, as it will cause 'pitting' to the surface that you won't be able to remove

So the Camelia oil does the trick?
I have a large Camelia outside that produces copious amounts of seed, if that is where the oil is extracted from I might give it a go.

I dont know if this is recommended, I just used stuff around the house

Clean my tools with metho
Rub them down with a little amount of olive oil.

I also use one of those cleaning rubbers, though mine i nabbed from my old job, the use them to clean scatchs on ceramic baths.

Thanks Gents!! Appreciate it! Tony and Mr Pup, I didn't realise they were for sale at the club meetings?! Thats cool. I'll definitely be at the meeting next weekend. Couldn’t be at the May meeting as my hotel in Japan was too far away!!
Maybe I should finish sorting through some photos and show some at the club sometime soon…..
Andrew – Wow, I am at Tess’ almost every second weekend and have never noticed them Go figure!!
Definitely going to pick one up in the near future.
What about sharpening tools, any advice?

I bought a set of three grades of diamond hones - EZE-LAP DIAMOND HONE AND STONE. Got them from King of Knives at Chermside and just give tools a quick rub when the get blunt. I do find cleaning them with a crean mate block keeps the edge for longer.

Tony

Awesome, thanks Tony

Awesome stuff, thanks for your help everyone