Lets Talk Tools

AdamS

Ok this is just really a little bit of advice for anyone who is just starting bonsai, or anyone looking at buying a new set of tools soon. I just want to post this so people dont make the same mistake as I have.
When reading on bonsai tools, everywhere says to buy the best that you can afford. What a load of rubbish right?? Spending £400 on a set of tools aint going to make your bonsai look any better than if you spend £30 on a set. You only have a couple of trees so a cheap set will last you years anyway. How wrong can one person be. I recently went out and payed £45 for a set of 5 tools. All the well needed ones and ideal to get me started in this wonderful world of bonsai. All I can say is I might as well have just went out and bought a £5 pair of scissors because they would have been better than this rubbish I have bought. The twig cutters have only been used a few times and feel almost blunt already. The root cutters which have not been used (only to cut one thick branch to see if they were any good) the blades have cut into each other and now dont close right up anymore, making them about as useful as a chocolate tea-pot.
Sorry if this seems like a rant. It isn't. I just dont want people making the same mistake as me.
So a little advice to anyone who is just about to buy some new tool/tools from someone who does not really know anything about bonsai, but someone who knows when he has been ripped off is to BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD......just wish I would have listened when I was told that!!!
Cheers for reading and I hope this actually helps someone.
Regards
Adam

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Jay

Adam.... sooooo true!

What I decided to do when I got started (on the advise of others) was to buy my tools one at a time. This way you spend more per tool, but less per purchase.

To start, the only tool you should worry about is a Concave Cutter. This is actually the only tool that you really can not approx with a general use tool. If you want you can buy stainless steel or not. But buy a very good to better quality tool. Yes there are several sizes but a midsize will do you well in all but the biggest trees.

As you go you will learn which tool is a must for you and then you can look to buy it!

Bonsai is a slow and patient undertakeing. So should the acquiring of your tools.

As an aside...this goes for pots as well. If you must get your tree into a pot think about Mica, it looks good and costs a fraction of the cost. And this is only if you must... I will probably move trees out of pots and into grow boxes and the ground this year.

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing