Trunk chop carving

[Walldepartment]

After doing a trunk chop and letting a leader grow for a while, you cut the original trunk chop diagonally so the lower portion of trunk transitions to the new leader. This is what I have mostly seen on the internet. However, there is a video by bonsai Iligan on youtube where he says to make it curved. What do you think of this? Should the cut be diagonal or curved? And why?

 

[ponderingsage]

Many people seem to make cuts flat across., since it is hard to know how much of the trunk might die back, or where new buds that will become the leader will emerge. I do this and save carving for later.

 

[sorce]

It mostly depends on the species, wether it will heal or not.

Depends on the design for how you should shape it if it will heal over shapes.

Where that feller is, them trees will probably heal over almost anything.

Sorce

 

[MrWunderful]

Is that a ficus? If so Im not sure if that is a good comparison to wound healing on temperate trees.

 

[Walldepartment]

So you guys are basically saying that a diagonal cut is easier to heal over?

 

[leatherback]

Yup. Ideally it is an inverted teardrop shape. That heals best for some reason. A slanted chop approaches this well.
Note: Chop horizontal. Wait for a leader to start growing, then make the slanted chop. THis way you ensure you chop back to a place where there is a leader.