Big handles! Little handles! Middle handles! Help????

[Cypress]

Hey folks, so I was just wondering if someone could give me an explanation of the various sizes of shears available. Seems the three or four basic types are the ones with the absurdly large looking handles, the ones with slightly less absurd looking handles, pretty average looking ones, then you have the little bud trimmer type.

I don't know if it's appropriate to lump the bud trimmer in with the rest, but I'd like to know if you could only have one of these, which would it be? Which is the most versatile? This past spring I bought a really cheap chinese set of tools and now I'm looking to start building a really nice set over time. I'd appreciate if anyone has specific brands or vendors they could suggest as well, right now I'm looking at Kaneshin tools. Masakuni seems a bit out of my price range at the moment, but I may snag one or two tools from them if the price is right. With christmas coming up I'm going to see if I can squeeze a tool or two out of my loved ones and/or myself.

Thanks
-Mike

 

[jk_lewis]

Use whatever is comfortable for you.

 

[Cypress]

That's the thing, I don't have them around to try. I have a couple from the cheap set I got, but the blades didn't even match up so I've just opted to use some trimming shears from Lowe's this past season. I suppose I would want something longer so it has more reach into the tree. But looking a the Kaneshi website right now, and they literally have 22 different types of scissors, not counting their wire cutter scissors, hahahaha. From a beginners point of view can you see that I'm slightly perplexed? LOL. Who knew I'd ever be in a situation in life where it was so hard to pick out a pair of scissors. I guess what I was asking is what's the advantage of a longer blade vs shorter blade, longer handle vs shorter handle, and of the scissors/shears you own, what do you find yourself using the most often?

 

[Cypress]

A "scissor of choice" survey of sorts.

 

[bonsaibp]

Generally I like longer thinner scissors. It's easier to get into the tree for trimming. Basically if the blades are the same size they'll all cut the same,it's all about what is most comfortable
in your hand. I use long thin ones on the top of the tree, and the short stubby ones for root pruning.

 

[fore]

That's the thing, I don't have them around to try. I have a couple from the cheap set I got, but the blades didn't even match up so I've just opted to use some trimming shears from Lowe's this past season. I suppose I would want something longer so it has more reach into the tree. But looking a the Kaneshi website right now, and they literally have 22 different types of scissors, not counting their wire cutter scissors, hahahaha. From a beginners point of view can you see that I'm slightly perplexed? LOL. Who knew I'd ever be in a situation in life where it was so hard to pick out a pair of scissors. I guess what I was asking is what's the advantage of a longer blade vs shorter blade, longer handle vs shorter handle, and of the scissors/shears you own, what do you find yourself using the most often?

Cypress, I've been looking at Kaneshin's website too recently. For me, a bud scissor, and a scissor like the SS 825 and 827, or the black steel equivalent. Those handles that are large I believe are for like trimming flowers off Azaleas and such. I also, after 25yrs, had to buy new wire cutters and was intrigued by Ryuga. I haven't used them much yet as they are brand new. Very nice fit and feel, build quality looks good to me too. Got from Wee Tree.
Good luck
Chris

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

90% of my work is with these tools...

 

[Grok42]

90% of my work is with these tools...

Thanks for the shot of your tools. The scissors on the far left is what I have and I routinely find that I struggle to cut even the green shoots on my boxwood. I was hoping that the larger handled variety would have more leverage. I know boxwood is very hard wood so maybe it's just a problem for just this one plant species?

I also have to ask what is with the blue tape on the handles?

 

[bonsaibp]

Thanks for the shot of your tools. The scissors on the far left is what I have and I routinely find that I struggle to cut even the green shoots on my boxwood. I was hoping that the larger handled variety would have more leverage. I know boxwood is very hard wood so maybe it's just a problem for just this one plant species?

I also have to ask what is with the blue tape on the handles?

If you're having problems cutting green shoots it's not the handles but the scissors themselves. The ones that BVF shows are the type I use all the time.
The tape is to id them. All bonsai tools pretty much look the same and it's easy for someone to pick up thewrong tool in a workshop setting etc..

 

[lordy]

I agree with the thought that they need to be comfortable in your hand. That said, there are advantages to different types. Like Bob points out, the bud shears, like pictured below, are good for getting inside the tree to take out smaller stuff. The butterfly style with large handles allow you to exert more force, but not really inside too much. If you cant easily cut something with the butterflies, go to a concave type cutter (pictured below on the right), which is designed for thicker branches.
If you are in a club, ask some of the members if you can try theirs on for size.

 

[Grok42]

Just got some for Christmas

So I wasn't planning on getting some big handled scissors after this thread. However, I wasn't diligent enough communicating this to my family and sure enough I opened up a pair of a brand I've never heard of, Yoshiaki. I haven't used them yet but I do see how I could exert more force with these rather than the smaller handled Joshua Roth's I have. The handle rests on the lower part of you palm below the thumb across a large surface area. It seems like I could use the larger muscles of my thumb with these to put a lot more force into the cut while still having a lot of control. I think I like the smaller handles better but I think I'll be glad to have both.

 

[bonsaibp]

So I wasn't planning on getting some big handled scissors after this thread. However, I wasn't diligent enough communicating this to my family and sure enough I opened up a pair of a brand I've never heard of, Yoshiaki. I haven't used them yet but I do see how I could exert more force with these rather than the smaller handled Joshua Roth's I have. The handle rests on the lower part of you palm below the thumb across a large surface area. It seems like I could use the larger muscles of my thumb with these to put a lot more force into the cut while still having a lot of control. I think I like the smaller handles better but I think I'll be glad to have both.

Yoshiaki are good tools. They're not the top of the line but they are comparable to all the rest of the tools out there that 90% of bonsai people use. I used to sell them until he had to stop importing when the yen went sky high and the tools became too expensive for him to make a profit. They are good tools a lot of my personal tools are Yoshiaki stainless.

 

[sikadelic]

I came across the Ryuga brand today. Has anybody tried them? It seems the Stainless Steel is much cheaper than other brands. It says they are quality control tested by hand but mass produced. Seems to be the best of both worlds.
http://www.weetree.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=277

 

[Grok42]

Yoshiaki are good tools. They're not the top of the line but they are comparable to all the rest of the tools out there that 90% of bonsai people use. I used to sell them until he had to stop importing when the yen went sky high and the tools became too expensive for him to make a profit. They are good tools a lot of my personal tools are Yoshiaki stainless.

Good to know it's a quality brand. I did brave the miserable weather and attack someone's innocent bit of shrubbery with my new tool. They performed quite well and I'm sure now that they will be able to handle a bit larger material than my smaller scissors.

 

[Cypress]

Good to know it's a quality brand. I did brave the miserable weather and attack someone's innocent bit of shrubbery with my new tool. They performed quite well and I'm sure now that they will be able to handle a bit larger material than my smaller scissors.

Hahahaha, this is priceless. "the serial pruner".