Page 45 - Tài liệu cây cảnh Bonsai4me Bonsai Basics

Chapter 6 Bonsai Tools

To the beginner at bonsai there would seem to be a bewildering number of
tools available. However a large number of these tools are designed to aid the
bonsai enthusiast who is carrying out more advanced techniques such as branch

splitting, jinning or carving.
For your first attempts at bonsai, where basic maintenance is essentially all
that is being practised, it is possible to use basic tools that will do the job almost
as well as specialist tools. For a very basic tool kit, the following items can be
used;
A pair of sharp scissors, wire cutters, secateurs (preferably the 'by-pass' not
the 'anvil' type), small nail scissors for fine work and either a pointed piece of
wood (chopstick) for combing out roots.
When buying your first Japanese tools, it is possible to buy items either
individually or as part of small kits. Prices can vary greatly but it is
recommended that you purchase the best quality tools that you can be afford.
Cheap tools tend to be of Chinese origin and are often made from mild steel
which deteriorate relatively quickly and can quickly lose their edge, requiring

frequent sharpening. Though Japanese-made tools are dearer, they are generally
made from better quality metals and can often last a lifetime.
All tools should be kept reasonably well-maintained; not only does regular
sharpening increase the life of your tools, but blunt and dirty tools will not cut
through wood well and tend to 'crush' rather than cut. Plant sap collects on tool-
blades easily, turning them black and this can be removed with a wire brush or
abrasive paper.
After many years practising bonsai, there are 6-7 tools that I would describe
as essential and I could not live without. These are the tools that I will always
select from my toolbox when I conduct a workshop or to work on someone's
tree;
Long Handled Bonsai Scissors
Knob Cutter
Side Cutters
Jin Pliers
Wire Cutters

Draw Knife
Tool sharpener