How to care for your bonsai tools
Keep your tools clean.– As with all tools, cleanliness is important and insures the continued proper function of your tools. Shears or knob cutters with built up sap or cut paste will not cut correctly and may even damage the portion of the tree you are cutting. Jining tools or grafting knives with sap built up will not only stick when cutting but may also cause an accident.. At a recent monthly bonsai class that I have been attending I heard the master scold a student for having dirty tools, NOT the kind of impression you want your teacher to have about your work ethic. Keep your tools clean.
Cleaning your tools
Now there are many thoughts on this process. I read where one well known teacher tells you to “sterilize your tools” after finishing work on one tree BEFORE your start work on the next. He suggest a liquid sterilizer or even a flame from a lighter. This is going a little overboard. If you were doing an emergency repot and root trimming on a diseased plant it would make sense but for general trimming, especially when you are trimming dozens of trees throughout the day it is just impractical.
Cleaning your tools at the end of the day is best accomplished with soap and water. Wipe any excess sap or dirt off first and do a quick cleaning and rinse well with warm water. After I clean my tools with soap and water I dry them toughly and spray them with WD40. Then I wipe the tools again with a clean dry rag to remove the excess WD40. This helps to ensure there is no water in the springs or hinges or under the collar that might encourage rust to develop.
Removing rust
Your tools should never be left outside over night or worse, in a bucket overnight when it is scheduled to rain like a good friend of mine did. Rust will start almost instantly. IF your tools do develop rust a small piece of steel wool, a little oil and some elbow grease will usually get the job done. Then repeat the cleaning process all the way through the WD40 stage and place them where they belong.
What if I drop my tools? – Yikes! You would not believe how many times I have done that myself over the last 18 years. I have Arthritis and holding my tweezers or cutters for a long time often gives me cramps and I lose my grip. My friend Bob makes fun of me and has suggested I put rubber mats around my trimming bench. OK, I can take a joke but keep in mind that is the same friend who used the bucket.
Dropping your tools does happen, even to our teachers. If you drop a tool and the worst happens, you break the tip off your trimming shears, hopefully they are not Master quality tools, don’t panic they can be fixed. The tips can be ground down using your electric drill and grinding wheel or even by hand with oil and stone. Or you can take your tools to a pro for grinding.
Sharpening your tools
This is another job you should learn. Don’t wait for your tools to get dull. If you have a lot of trees, 20 or more, a little sharpening once a week will save you countless headaches later. If you have hundreds of trees then a little sharpening every 2 or 3 days is best.
The best way to sharpen your bonsai tools is a hand held oil stone. A good two sided flat oil stone will cost you about $30 the cost of a cheap date. It will save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the stone. Flat oil stones are used to sharpen shears and tools with straight blades. Curved stones are available for sharpening branch and knob cutters. Remember to sharpen the tool from the outside of the blade. The inside is generally flat and close to the opposing blade.
Practice sharpening your general use garden shears or an old pair of household scissors before you venture to your bonsai tools. It isn’t as hard as it sounds and with a little practice you should be ready to tackle any bonsai tool. If you get really good give me a call and I will let you do mine.
Storing your tools
That is where the cloth bag comes in, don’t just throw them in a box or bucket. After you have cleaned your tools you need to put them away safely. I suggest a cloth or leather tool bag. These can be bought at most bonsai shops or at any of the many bonsai shows that are held around the country. If you have a wife or girlfriend who sews with a little luck and your best behavior you might get a custom made bonsai tool pouch for Christmas or your birthday. If they have one of those fancy machines your new toy may even have a stitched bonsai design.
Caring for your bonsai tools is like caring for your car. If you wash it, get it serviced regularly and keep the tires and breaks in top working order it will last you a long time. Keep your bonsai tools clean and sharp and stored in an orderly matter they in turn will always be ready to do the job you bought them for. Now go water those plants again it’s 100 degrees today.