Wazakura Bonsai Tools

rockm

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Just got a pair of bonsai scissors and a repotting sickle delivered from Wazakura. Out of the box, they're pretty good. Blades on scissors are even and well oiled. Work well, not a bit of give in the rivet. The sickle is solid as well. They arrived within three days or order via USPS. I also looked them up on Amazon and on Walmart's site. Both carry their tools for the same prices, FWIW.
 
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Coppersdad

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My first purchase was the wire cutters and pliers. I do urge you to give these craftsmen a try. Arrival was quick and the quality is everything described above.

😢 Now if I could only get them to make me a pair of left -handed bud scissors. 😞
 

Coppersdad

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Have you asked?
Yep. Am waiting for a reply.
It's not that I can't use common scissors made for all of you who are not in your right mind. But after a while, I tend to "spring" them. That is, the smaller/finer the tool, the quicker I will bend the shafts by using them with the hand they were not designed for. 😭
After a while, it gets kinda expensive...
 

leus

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The only difference is that there you are giving some extra money to Jeff Bezos. If you buy through our links, here we get a few $$$ for the web site. :)
I got some tweezers from Amazon. I’d love to get some tools directly from them but they cannot beat free delivery to my country (to be fair it’s not that expensive, about 45 USD, but still).
 

Coppersdad

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Yep. Am waiting for a reply.
It's not that I can't use common scissors made for all of you who are not in your right mind. But after a while, I tend to "spring" them. That is, the smaller/finer the tool, the quicker I will bend the shafts by using them with the hand they were not designed for. 😭
After a while, it gets kinda expensive...
As a follow up on this left handed issue; I've exchanged several emails with these lovely folks. Like most of you who are right handed, they were not aware of the huge difficulties a left handed user can have with certain right handed scissors. I explained all as best I could and urged them to do some market research with several handed bonsai people, especially with bud scissors and other very small ones.
Told them I know the market is very small. They promised they'd look into it and discuss it with their artisans.
I'll keep everyone posted.
 

stu929

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can anyone comment on how these compare to KiKu? Can can get KiKu locally.

Thanks
 

Coppersdad

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can anyone comment on how these compare to KiKu? Can can get KiKu locally.

Thanks
My experience with my one order is that the products were shipped from the US to me in the Seattle area. No overseas shipping or duty. Sorry, I can't compare to Kiku as I've never used them.
 

rockm

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can anyone comment on how these compare to KiKu? Can can get KiKu locally.

Thanks
From the three tools I've ordered and received, I can say they're at least as good in their handle and overall appearance. I've had Kiku tools for years.

Can't compare performance, as I just got them, but they certainly look and feel like they're excellent quality. Joints work, edges meet precisely. Steel is solid, etc.

I've had issues with Kiku tools getting a bit wobbly at joints, rivets, etc. over the years.
 

stu929

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From the three tools I've ordered and received, I can say they're at least as good in their handle and overall appearance. I've had Kiku tools for years.

Can't compare performance, as I just got them, but they certainly look and feel like they're excellent quality. Joints work, edges meet precisely. Steel is solid, etc.

I've had issues with Kiku tools getting a bit wobbly at joints, rivets, etc. over the years.
Thank you
 

Maiden69

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One thing I would have to add is to be careful of the edge of their knob cutters if the stop wears out slightly. Also, I think that if it becomes slightly dull, when you sharpen it, you may have to slightly file the stop so that the edges touch again. I don't like that they come perfectly together, I like the Kaneshin design better, which have a scissor like function by allowing one edge to slightly overbite the other. Then again, the Kaneshin are double the price.

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shinmai

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The left-handed issue is very meaningful to us lefties. I think the market is far more substantial than they might initially think. I might buy some company’s azalea shears if I wanted another pair, but I would absolutely buy anything offered in a LH version. I’m all the more conscious of this because I’ve had my left hand immobilized for five weeks following reconstructive surgery on my basal thumb joint due to severe arthritis. [Carpometacarpal arthroplasty with ligament reconstruction and interposition, for those who are into that sort of thing]. Watching me eat has been amusing, and my my wife has had to do things like tie my shoes for me. Really makes one understand the significance of the opposable thumb in rising to the top of the primate family.

I consider myself to be a serious, fairly proficient amateur cook, and I love Global knives because they‘re the only widely-available manufacturer that makes a left-handed, single-bevel chef‘s knife. It makes an amazing difference in precision slicing. I also have a heavy deba, a nakiri [veg knife], and a beautiful sujihiki [slicing or sushi knife], the latter two being LH single-bevel. [A gift, so I don’t know the maker.] They are, however, carbon steel, and while they take an incredibly sharp edge, they don’t hold the edge well. Not trusting myself to not screw up the edge, I have them professionally sharpened every couple of years by a local family. Last summer I sliced open a finger-tip while removing them from their newspaper wrapping, and didn’t even know it until my wife observed that blood was running down my forearm.

BTW, here in Wisconsin we don’t just manufacture tools….we elect ‘em to the Senate too!!
 

Coppersdad

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The left-handed issue is very meaningful to us lefties. I think the market is far more substantial than they might initially think. I might buy some company’s azalea shears if I wanted another pair, but I would absolutely buy anything offered in a LH version. I’m all the more conscious of this because I’ve had my left hand immobilized for five weeks following reconstructive surgery on my basal thumb joint due to severe arthritis. [Carpometacarpal arthroplasty with ligament reconstruction and interposition, for those who are into that sort of thing]. Watching me eat has been amusing, and my my wife has had to do things like tie my shoes for me. Really makes one understand the significance of the opposable thumb in rising to the top of the primate family.

I consider myself to be a serious, fairly proficient amateur cook, and I love Global knives because they‘re the only widely-available manufacturer that makes a left-handed, single-bevel chef‘s knife. It makes an amazing difference in precision slicing. I also have a heavy deba, a nakiri [veg knife], and a beautiful sujihiki [slicing or sushi knife], the latter two being LH single-bevel. [A gift, so I don’t know the maker.] They are, however, carbon steel, and while they take an incredibly sharp edge, they don’t hold the edge well. Not trusting myself to not screw up the edge, I have them professionally sharpened every couple of years by a local family. Last summer I sliced open a finger-tip while removing them from their newspaper wrapping, and didn’t even know it until my wife observed that blood was running down my forearm.

BTW, here in Wisconsin we don’t just manufacture tools….we elect ‘em to the Senate too!!
My emails with the Wazakura folks have been productive. Like all right hand folks they first had to be educated as to both the needs and the struggles of those of us who are in our "right minds". At the start, it was necessary to educate. The fellow was not aware there is a difference between right and left handed scissors. When I explained how right handed scissors of fine construction, like bud scissors, eventually bend and become unusable, he began to listen.
I urged the company to do their own research and talk to left handed people and to learn why this is an important issue for us. In the end, he said they would contact their craftsmen and ask if any one was willing to take on the manufacture.
So, there may be hope. Of course, you can bet we'll pay more. We always do, don't we?

By the way, this Washington also contributes tools to the other Washington. :(
 

Shibui

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I've purchased so hope that means a contribution to B'nut.

My tools arrived yesterday. Agree that they all look great but I haven't had time to test drive yet.

Great that the website quotes prices in whatever currency you set so no need to do conversion calculations.
Prices are great but shipping added A$87 to get the package here.
 

leus

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My emails with the Wazakura folks have been productive. Like all right hand folks they first had to be educated as to both the needs and the struggles of those of us who are in our "right minds". At the start, it was necessary to educate. The fellow was not aware there is a difference between right and left handed scissors. When I explained how right handed scissors of fine construction, like bud scissors, eventually bend and become unusable, he began to listen.
I urged the company to do their own research and talk to left handed people and to learn why this is an important issue for us. In the end, he said they would contact their craftsmen and ask if any one was willing to take on the manufacture.
So, there may be hope. Of course, you can bet we'll pay more. We always do, don't we?

By the way, this Washington also contributes tools to the other Washington. :(
Just a notice, the japanese have a very complicated relationship with left-handed people (hidari-kiki or giccho) until very recent times. They actually think it is unpolite to use your left hand and they used to heavily correct children to use only their right hand. It's just in the last two decades or so that being left handed is not as bad as it used to be.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Just a notice, the japanese have a very complicated relationship with left-handed people (hidari-kiki or giccho) until very recent times. They actually think it is unpolite to use your left hand and they used to heavily correct children to use only their right hand. It's just in the last two decades or so that being left handed is not as bad as it used to be.
I do many things with different hands. I write left-handed, but use bonsai tools with my right. I throw a baseball and bat left-handed, but golf and play tennis and racketball with my right. I fire a rifle right-handed, but fire a pistol with either hand. In the Army, the idea that I could target shoot a pistol with one hand while at the same time signing my name with my other hand used to blow peoples' minds :)
 
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