Branch, Knob, Concave, whats the point?

Rid

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I’ve attached a picture of a cut on my pomegranate. I made the initial cut last year, and cut off the remaining dead stump a few weeks ago.

I was unable to remove all of the dead wood with my concave cutter. Would a knob cutter be used to continue removing the dead wood?
 

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MrWunderful

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I’ve attached a picture of a cut on my pomegranate. I made the initial cut last year, and cut off the remaining dead stump a few weeks ago.

I was unable to remove all of the dead wood with my concave cutter. Would a knob cutter be used to continue removing the dead wood?
Yes you should easily able to clean that up with a decent knob cutter. Take small bites. Lately I have been using more wood gouge/grinder because it is much faster (IMO)
 
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ceriano

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I use cheapo pruning scissors (use 'em and toss ' em when dull), a good quality medium sized concave cutter (the straight edge type), and a Dremmel with a bit similar to bonsa4me's 'Nibbler'. A concave cutter is, IMHO, good for nibbling away at chopping stubs and stem bits below air layer roots. Had the Dremmel tool not worked out as well as it did I think I would have bought a largish knob cutter (but I already got the Dremmel and the bit was far cheaper).

Add a wire cutter, a forcept/tweezer and a root hook and you've got my bonsai tool set. It really doesn't take much.

But, I do a lot of gardening work with my wife and have occasionally applied the hedge shear, the Felco bypass pruner, the branch lopper, and/or the small hardware store tree saw to my 2B bonsai. If you grow a lot of azaleas, you may want a nice little shear.

I forgot, an $8 ratchet strap is very handy in lieu of an expensive jack for many bending tasks.
What should I use to fix the old ugly cuts? Knob cutter? Can I use a dremmel to sand them off? I don’t currently have a knob cutter and my concave leaves a messy cut!
 

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0soyoung

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What should I use to fix the old ugly cuts? Knob cutter? Can I use a dremmel to sand them off? I don’t currently have a knob cutter and my concave leaves a messy cut!
That is what I do, but sanding isn't necessary.
If you expose a line of green cambium, just smooth that surface with a sharp knife before applying your favorite 'cut paste' to prevent the cambium from desiccating.
 

ceriano

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Good choice, can’t go wrong with Kaneshin. I have the same scissors and spherical knob cutter.
Does the spherical cutter take the place of both concave and knob cutter? Or I still need both? I have a cheap concave I'm debating to get a knob cutter or a nicer concave.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Does the spherical cutter take the place of both concave and knob cutter? Or I still need both? I have a cheap concave I'm debating to get a knob cutter or a nicer concave.
Mostly yes. I use the spherical concave more than the other two now. However, the perpendicular jaw position of the knob cutter allows you to apply more pressure against the cut for taking larger chunks of wood.
 

leatherback

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Mostly yes. I use the spherical concave more than the other two now.

Is there a trick to using them? After tossing away #3 or #4 of them after a few uses I had given up. They always bend out for me..?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Mostly yes. I use the spherical concave more than the other two now.


Is there a trick to using them? After tossing away #3 or #4 of them after a few uses I had given up. They always bend out for me..?
Maybe you’re trying to cut too-large a branch? I’ve read somewhere that you really shouldn’t cut a branch larger than 3/4 the size of the blade length. I have started using a saw for cuts larger than about 1”, then using knob or spherical concaves to reduce the cut. Mine are Kaneshin, which have been very good...except their wire cutter, which failed almost immediately and I probably should have tried to return.
 

leatherback

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Maybe you’re trying to cut too-large a branch?
That is what I thought initially. But the last I got I really babied along, less than 1/2 the blade length. And on a more mature oak twig it just bent instead of cut.
Might need to get proper japanese; Mine were indonesian/chinese..
 

0soyoung

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Do you use the drum sander?

No. I use a "structured tooth tungsten carbide cutter". They are inexpensive (about $15) and come in various shapes. For me, the tapered styles have been the most useful. These tend to get clogged when used on green wood, but are easily cleaned with a butane torch.

The most useful bit I have is a 'small square rotary chisel' that is no longer be available through Amazon. However, I see that they are still available, but have not done any business with rotarychisel.com (beware?)
 

ceriano

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No. I use a "structured tooth tungsten carbide cutter". They are inexpensive (about $15) and come in various shapes. For me, the tapered styles have been the most useful. These tend to get clogged when used on green wood, but are easily cleaned with a butane torch.

The most useful bit I have is a 'small square rotary chisel' that is no longer be available through Amazon. However, I see that they are still available, but have not done any business with rotarychisel.com (beware?)
I guess this is the one you are referring to:


 
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Ming dynasty

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I bought a pair of Kaneshin spherical concave cutters (right tool in your photo) a few years ago and it has become a go-to cutter for me. For 20 years, I used mainly knob cutters and concave cutters, but have found the spherical concave cutter gives the access of a concave cutter, but the bite of a knob cutter. As mentioned though, the 8” cutters are really designed to cut branches less than 1/2” in diameter. Much larger, and a small saw is a cleaner way to go.
If one don’t have a concave and knob cutter yet, is it wise to get a spherical cutter to start?
If so, when removing straight branch, prior to going in with knob cutter for a flush look. Where on the blade do you use to cut a straight branch? Closer to tip or closer to handle.
 

Ming dynasty

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@Adair M ,

Sifu,

if you look at the trees we grow, how do you explain the movement ?

Plus Grow and Clip [ Lingnan ] ages from angular to curves, and
looks natural.

Ypu have also seen how things are pulled down or moved.

The idea is, we do not wrap trees in wire, and that trees evolved to
handle breaks, tears, but a strangler vine will normally
kill a branch or tree, since the tree handles compression of the
bark badly.

I should not have to explain this to someone with 40+ years iof
growing and observing trees in nature ??????????
Thanks for responding as always.
Good Day
Anthony [ entering the black hole to enter Earth Prime ]:)o_O:eek::cool:

Gmelina -- clip and grow
From a small cutting now around 30 years +

View attachment 217284


Hi Anthony, is there a book you’d recommend for clip and grow?
 
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