Quality Of "KIKU" Tools ?

Camay123

I would like to have some comments on the quality of the "KIKU" bonsai tools ?

As I understand they offer various level of quality, like novice, intermediate, professionnal.

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Bart Thomas(deceased)

I have several Kiku tools. They were my first tools, which I bought from Chase Rosade. He feels beginner and intermediate grade are a waste of money.

While I have since upgraded to stainless, I continue to use my Kiku tools, which I feel are of excellent quality.

Dale Cochoy

Folks,
I sell Kiku and the brands that Monastery carries. I USED TO sell Joshua Roth until I was lied to a few years back and cut off all sales of them.
But,
During a discussion with Brother Francis Michael at the Monastery several years ago he told me about tool shopping for import to USA. bonsai tools are made by "jobbers" mostly who contract with dealers to make their tools and stamp their name and supply the "selected" finish . As far as beginner and intermediate tools, it is often just the finishing of the metal polishing etc, that determines cost. Steel, cut, fit is pretty much the same. If you look at tools like Masakini for instance that has the highest "finish" cost of all you see polished edges and ends of handles, and re-blue where edges are ground/sharpened , etc. You don't see this on less expensive tools, but, the quality steel is the same and fit is USUALLY pretty good.
Basically, it's possible that the different tools you own MAY be made by the same shop, from what I understand!
If you buy Japanese hand made tools you get good steel and fit, if you buy Chinese you don't, and you don't! :>)
Dale

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If you want to be Different....
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Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
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Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Camay123

Double post

Attila

Hi Camay,

If you intend to do bonsai for the rest of your life, the cheapest way to go is to buy the highest quality. Otherwise you end up doing what I did: first I bought cheap sets, then intermediate ones, and now I am buying the the highest quality. So I basically bought 3 times every tool. Not too smart and very expensive.

Attila

Camay123

Is "KIKU" in the high-end of tools ?

I guess if different tools can come from the same manufacturer, but are stamp and finish differently, they must pass a quality control test, and some compagny must reject the undesirable one, having a more demanding quality test ?

I intend to buy prefessionnal grade.

Bart Thomas(deceased)

The Kiku tools I have bought from Chase Rosade, and New Englad Bonsai are professional grade.

In the case of one pair of pliers, I actually prefer the "feel" to the Masakunis.

Adam_MA

FWIW,
My sheers are Kiku. I have been using them for over 1.5 years, cutting everything from roots, to fine pruning, to cutting the nylon needlepoint material for drainage screen, and even a small piece of wire when I didn't see it was on the branch. They have stayed ultra sharp, they clean up well after use. The only thing I have had to do to them was a couple small taps on the hinge with a hammer to tighten them up a bit.

Hope this helps
Adam

Camay123

Is Joshua Roth more hype then others tool ? Kiku for example ?
How does both compare ?

And again, Is Kiku in the high end range of japanese tools ?

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