Here’s a Quick Way to Know the Basic Bonsai Tools
To practice the art of Bonsai you must have the proper tools. I am going to list and describe the more common bonsai tools. When you first start out you will not need all the tools listed and depending on your level of involvement in Bonsai you may never need them all.
Pruning & Cutting Tools
Pruning and cutting tools are used for any cutting that is too heavy to be performed with scissors.
Concave Branch Cutter: These are heavy-duty cutters designed similar to bolt cutters. They are used to cleanly and smoothly remove fair sized branches.
Spherical Knob Cutters: Are similar to the branch cutter except the cutting piece is spherical. These are designed to cut through heavy knobs or knots.
Folding Pruning saw: This is a small rough cut saw that with a blade that folds back into the handle similar to a pocket knife. They are used for cutting very heavy branches or when you need to cut down the trunk of your bonsai tree.
Woodworking Gouges: Gouges are used for multiple artistic purposes in bonsai. They are frequently used to remove bark or to score the trunk to simulate natural damage to a tree.
Scissors are a staple tool for all bonsai enthusiasts, they come in various shapes and sizes to handle various jobs.
Leaf Cutting Scissors: Just as the name implies these are used mainly for light work like pruning back or removing leaves.
Shoot Trimming Scissors: These are a heavier set of scissors designed for cutting small to mid-sized shoots or branches.
Heavy Duty Shoot Scissors: These are an even heavier pair of scissors designed for all the shoots that are too large for the regular shoot scissors but too small for a pruner.
Potting Tools
The pot that you keep your bonsai in is very important for both its health and proper development. Bonsai need frequent re-potting and root modification. These are the tools most useful for those tasks.
Wires are frequently used to train the bonsai plant into the proper artistic form. There are a multitude of tools used to work with wire most of these are available at any hardware or automotive store.
Common Wire Snips: These are common wire snips that are frequently used by electricians, they should be heavy enough to handle any of the aluminum wire used for bonsai.
Heavy Duty Wire Snips: These are just a heavier version of the snips listed above that might be needed if you are working with some heavier than average wire.
Needle Nose Pliers: These are pliers that come to a fine point and are useful for working in tight confines around the trunk and branches.
Miscellaneous Tools
Some general tools that do not fit in any of the other categories.
Gardeners Knife: This is handy for many of the heavy non-delicate cutting you have to do.
