Tony

Jose, Yes the concave cutter should be the first real bonsai tool you get, the other tools can be substituted easier.

Matt, I don't think we really disagree on this issue. I stated that "The concave cutters are made specifically for bonsai and there aren't really any hardware tools that duplicate the type of cut they make [not in one tool anyway]."

My point is that if Jose can not afford concave cutters at this time he should not give up on bonsai. He can still learn the techniques and make do with what he has. Will the cuts be as clean and heal as well as they would if made with the proper tool, no I'm sure they won't but sometimes you have to improvise.

I can't comment on the on the Stanley bonsai shears, Ive never seen them. I'm surprised that Stanley makes anything with the word bonsai on the label. *What happened, did the mallsai buyers have a protest march?

Tony