Growing bonsai trees can be challenging. They need proper care and maintenance to grow and stay alive, so there are also a variety of tools and equipment for caring for them.
Everyone, from beginners to advanced bonsai artists, needs some sort of bonsai tool. But we must choose the proper equipment and know when and how to use and treat it.
There are a lot of brands that come from various parts of the world and are very familiar with their standard bonsai tools and equipment. But Japanese Bonsai Tools are very well-known and loveable among them for their high quality and high prices also.
If you’re truly a bonsai lover and want to give your best to your job, you must have a few basic bonsai tools in your toolkit, such as bonsai shears, cutters, saws, and pliers.
So today, with this article, we’ve come up with a list of the best Japanese bonsai tools, including their category and use.
However, let’s dive into the entire article and grab the information you need.
Japanese Cutting Tools
Cutting tools are the most essential bonsai tools for styling and shaping bonsai trees. However, they often seem crucial and difficult to use for beginners.
Among them, shears and pliers are the most useful Japanese cutting tools. They are meant for cutting roots, twigs, smaller branches, or leaves. They are available in various sizes and shapes. You have to choose the size and shape according to the size of your tree.
The cutting tools should always stay sharp. As long as they are sharp, the work will be easier and effortless. So always be careful, never use them for any other purpose, and never hit the edge of the cutting tool.
Examples of other Japanese bonsai cutting tools include:
Standard shear
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They’re very high-quality tools at a great price. They’re formed from solid steel and have a sharp steel blade.
Pruning shear
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Japanese pruning shears would be the perfect choice for trimming, shaping, or flower cutting in your bonsai garden. These shears can be cut obliquely and are ideal for quick and long trimming of small branches.
Long slim twig shear
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A long, slim twig shear allows you to reach deep into foliage or small areas of a tree.
Shohin and azalea shear
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They are very small in size and used for Shohin bonsai, trimming azaleas, and removing wilted flowers.
Knob cutter
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The knob cutters are used for removing knobs from the branches and trunks of bonsai trees.
Leafcutter
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A Japanese leaf cutter is used to cut individual leaves from the tree when you want to reduce the size. They are also useful when you need to prune the new growth of your tree to maintain proper growth.
Wire cutter
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Japanese wire cutters are perfect for removing training wire without damaging branches or trunks. Their razor-sharp blades allow you to cut the wire quickly and clearly.
Large concave cutter (straight blades included)
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A must-have bonsai tool for taking care of your trees is used to remove branches from the trunk of your tree.
Small concave cutter (straight blades included)
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An essential tool for small bonsai trees is needed to remove their branches or make larger crops.
Japanese Saws and Knives
Japanese saws and knives are essential items to have in your collection if you want to care for your bonsai trees. When the branches, trunks, or roots of your tree are too thick and hard to cut off using a shear or pliers, an appropriate saw or knife can help you best.
Folding saw
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Japanese folding bonsai saws are the perfect saws for pruning bonsai trees. They are ideal for cutting green wood and roots without binding. They are also very easy to use, and their blades are very strong but safe, locked into the catch.
Sickle saw
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A Japanese sickle saw is a perfect bonsai tool for tidying and trimming bonsai trees. It has a sharp C-shaped blade attached to a small handle.
Thin pruning saw
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A Japanese thin pruning saw is meant to cut the branches, trunks, or roots of your bonsai tree smoothly, allowing your tree to heal faster.
Grafting knife
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Grafting knives are essential for grafting tree branches, plants, fruit plants, etc. A Japanese grafting knife is an ideal tool for grafting bonsai trees. It allows you to cut branches and buds effortlessly and attach them to other plants.
Japanese Roots Hooks or Rakes
When reporting a bonsai tree, removing old soil from the roots is essential. Usually, you can use a chopstick, bamboo stick, or something similar to remove soil from the roots. But if you want to make the job more effective and authentic, you should use bonsai root hooks and root rakes.
A variety of Japanese root hooks or rakes, with as many as three teeth, are available in various sizes and variants. They are meant to open the root ball and remove unnecessary soil between the roots.
Root hook
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A Japanese bonsai root hook allows you to loosen the soil as well as to open the root.
Root rake
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Bonsai root rakes are among the most useful items for caring for your tree. They come with 2-tine or 3-tine. Both are useful in the bonsai garden. They are used to loosen soil and often get the roots to unfold.
Japanese Bonsai Wire and Other Tools for Wiring
To give a proper shape to your tree, you must use various Japanese bonsai wires and other necessary tools to wire the tree. They are found in various shapes and sizes and come with various purposes. Don’t buy a large wire if you have many small bonsai species, such as Shohin.
Depending on the materials used, there are two types of bonsai wire: one made from aluminum and the other from copper.
Japanese Protective Material and Bending Bonsai Tools
Bending bonsai tools and other protective materials are needed to protect the wood from breaking and healing minor cracks and fissures without risking the branches or truck dying.
Japanese wire bending plier (Jin)
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When wiring or bending your bonsai tree for modeling or shaping, Japanese wire bending pliers are ideal; they cooperate in bending wire around the branches or trunks. They are also very protective, and the rounded ends ensure that the tree is not damaged while working.
Japanese Sieve Sets
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Japanese sieve sets are very useful for removing dirt and dust from the soil. As we know, bonsai trees grow into small pots with a very small amount of soil. So make sure that the soil you use to plant bonsai is free from any dirt or dust that can be harmful to your tree.
In this case, Japanese bonsai sieve sets made from stainless steel are very efficient at grading all ingredients while making the soil for planting bonsai trees. They are also used to remove dusty particles when we use granular soil components like Kanuma, Akadama, or Pumice. They are available in various sizes and variants.
Tips and Tricks When Using Japanese Bonsai Tools
- Always be careful when using or cleaning Japanese bonsai tools, as they are usually very sharp and can inadvertently cause skin sores.
- Clean and oil the tools as thoroughly as possible after each use. Unnecessary sap buildup on the blades can damage them unexpectedly, so clean them with an oily rag after use.
- After cleaning the tools, store them in a place as warm or temperate as possible and always keep them away from humidity. Humidity and wide temperature variations can cause rust on them.
- Japanese bonsai tools made of premium-grade stainless steel are easier to maintain than those made of black steel. So try to use a stainless steel tool.
- Never use your Japanese bonsai tools for purposes other than their original ones. Doing so can cause irresistible damage to your tools.
- While using a Japanese tool, never push it strongly. By doing this, the blades can break or bend.
Final Thought
Many Japanese bonsai tools are needed to assist you when it comes to taking care of your bonsai trees. But if you’re a newbie in this art, you should first try some basic bonsai tools like shears and cutters. Then, the more time and diligence you will spend on your work, the more special bonsai tools you will need later on.