I can recommend a cordless Dremel tool, much easer to work with.

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Sadly I must admit that I don't have a tool kit yet - I don't even have any real bonsai material though. Only been researching bonsai for about 2 months now, but definitely getting into it - probably going to wait until after my wedding in July to purchase any good material/tools...

PMan0

At the moment i have nothing realy specialised, but i'm on my way. My toolbox itself is a green 15" actual toolbox with a handle. The little compartments in the top make a great place to put coiled up wire off-cuts and seed packets. In the box itself:

a coping saw
a junior hachsaw
a stanley retractable saw
a stanley knife
6" bonsai shears
conventional wire cutters
large secutaires (sp?)
small secataires (sp?)
hobby knife set with multiple different shaped blades
wire in various amounts
mesh to cover drainage holes
baby bio root hormone liquid
chopsticks
a teaspoon (how'd that get there?)
houseplant sized spade/scoop
houseplant sized garden fork
root hook
housplant sized planting trowel
rotary tool and all the attachments
toe nail clippers (useful for removing branches on small bonsai)

There we have it, nothing special but it gets the job done.

In addition to all the usual tools, I also keep a spray bottle of lysol disinfectant in my tool bag. This was learned courtesy of Roy Nagatoshi, who was the first artist workshop I attended, and was adament about disinfecting tools after each cut.

Thanks Roy!

Wow, such impressive collections of tools! Probably intimidating for the newbie
(To all noobs -- you only need a couple tools to start out!)

To post my list, I would also need to sort through some gubbins -- whatever they are.
But I did just get that cordless dremel for Xmas. Time to begin an obsession with jin!

And I have some things that are very like the dentist picks, various picks, hooks and such, only the set was just a dollar (very handy for removing scale bugs, too)

pootsie

Poots, Dremel is the entry drug for an addiction to larger, more expensive power tools. After you work with it for a while, you will start thinking things like "gee, I could move a WHOLE lot more wood with an Arbortech." This will happen after you spend 5 1/2 hours creating larger shari or jin.

After the arbortech, you will start to envy the $5,000 professional level power tools. God help you. Put all your money somewhere inaccessible...

As for the earlier discussion about scalpels...how about an X-acto knife? I've got one, and it's always sharp (especially when I change the blade). Just a thought.

Scott

Preparation H for tree cuts? Ew!

Bonsaikc,

It works wonders for helping to heal cracks....

BWAHAHAHAHAHA....HOOOOOO....AW....Dang.....sorry about that...{{sniff}}

I could not resist.

Sorry, I will go back to my corner now...

Jeffrey

an old pair of secateurs, two pairs of sewing scissors and one pair of small bonsai scissors(the only 'proper' bonsai tool I have)
I also have an old toothbrush and a bent fork for the teasing of roots.