One of the many things confronting a new beginner to bonsai is what is needed in the way of tools to work on bonsai. Consultation with more experienced members of the club frequently leads to a statement that you should only consider the very best. and you need a wide assortment of tools. Sounds good, but that usually means a tool box that costs $1500 or more to fill. Further, you should visit one of the tool venders at the next show or fundraiser to check out exactly what you need.  These folks are very nice and they will show you a lot of tools, all of which they claim that you absolutely must have if you are serious about bonsai.  Their tools are of very high quality and should last you a lifetime. They are right on this point.  Many tools are for special uses and will truly out last you and your lifetime because you will probably use them only a couple of times. Faced with all of this, it is no wonder why potential bonsai artists give up and look into collecting stamps as a hobby.

So what does the newcomer to bonsai really need to get started that will not cost him a fortune? Five tools will take him far enough into the world of bonsai for him to see whether the hobby of bonsai is really for him. Surprisingly, four of the five are tools not even specifically made for bonsai and are inexpensive.

The first tool on the list is a simple chopstick. They are needed for combing out old potting media when you repot your bonsai. The fact that they are made of wood means that relatively few roots are broken during the process. Chopsticks are also useful for determining where roots on your tree are located by poking them into the soil.  They also can be used for a variety of other tasks such as flicking off stray dead leaves or unwanted pieces of bark. Chopsticks can be constructed from one of two materials, a soft wood like pine which easily breaks, and the much harder wood of bamboo.  Hold out for the bamboo. They are readily available and cost a few bucks for a generous handful, or are available in Japanese restaurants where they cost about $10 for two.  By the way, a free meal comes with the chop sticks.

Probably the first thing the budding bonsai artist faces is that the cool tree that he bought would be even cooler if a branch could be moved from here to over there. This could be accomplished by wrapping some wire around the branch, which requires something to cut the wire. Wire cutters available at your local hardware store will work just fine and will probably cost $10 or so. They are designed for cutting relatively small diameter wire, and as our budding artist continues in bonsai he will use thicker wire to shape larger branches. Unless he has arms like a gorilla, cutting the thicker wire with diagonal wire cutters becomes a real chore.  At this point, wire cutters for bonsai come into play.  Their long handles and short blades give a much better mechanical advantage which makes cutting the thicker wire much easier. These can be purchased for as little as $20 and should serve bonsai needs for a long time.

You cannot do much with wire without a set of pliers. Again, your hardware store models will work well.  Their limitation is that the jaws are relatively broad which makes it difficult to maneuver the pliers through the shrubbery. Bonsai pliers have jaws the look more or less like ducks bills, i.e. somewhat broad and thin, which makes for easier maneuvering. Down the road a bit, bonsai pliers will be a distinct improvement over the hardware store models.

The fourth tool on the basic list is a pair of scissors for trimming your tree.  Scissors with a sharp point are needed for getting into the foliage, but should be stout enough to allow you to cut very small branches. There are Chinese made scissors on the market which work just fine for bonsai and cost much less than $10. Bonsai scissors are longer and narrower and can be easier to use, depending on your hand size, and should be on your list for a future upgrade.

The last tool on the basic tool list is a pair of diagonal cutters. These are specifically designed for bonsai use and there is no non bonsai equivalent. The cutters cut larger branches and they really shine when you want to remove a branch close to the trunk. They do not cut flush with the trunk but cut a slight divot out of the trunk.  The resulting depression will, in most cases, heal with a scar that is level with the trunk.

So how much is reasonable to pay for tools?  There is a wide range of quality and prices for bonsai tools.  For example, bonsai wire cutters can range from $20 to over $200. The high end tools are designed for professional people who work on trees eight hours a day year around.  Time does not permit them to use a tool that does not handle well and does not stay sharp. Tools costing far less suit most of us who work on their tree maybe eight hours a month.  The steel in these tools is a little softer than the top of the line tools, meaning that the tools need to be sharpened a little more often.  But this is not a burden for most of us.

The most conservative financial approach for the newcomer to bonsai is to start with either very inexpensive bonsai tools or their non bonsai equivalent. If bonsai is really a passion in their life, the starter tools can be replaced with better quality tools. There are many brands of tools costing in the range of $40, and any of these should give a lifetime of satisfactory service.  Put the big bucks into trees rather than tools. A frequent trap that people fall into is the feeling that the best quality and hence the most expensive tools will make them a better bonsai artist. This is not true.  The tool is only as good as the skill of the person using it.