Which type of scissors do you use?

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
... wire cutter. I have purchased the cheaper one, carbon steel (not stainless), and it misaligned when trying to cut a high gauge copper wire. So, good quality of the steel matters.

So I have bought this one below:
20200719_133048.jpg

BTW, trying a forgotten (lost in the toolbox) hair scissors to defoliate some deciduous in the Summer they are sharp!
20200719_133108.jpg
 

TN_Jim

Omono
Messages
1,972
Reaction score
2,442
Location
Richmond VA
USDA Zone
7a
Picked up a pair of these at work and have really been digging them. They’re comfortable, locking mechanism is great, nice spring action, very user friendly -have been going in back pocket every day when I get home to water. Also, they’re so cheap I don’t mind occasionally really putting them through some work they’re probably not made for..

3E2BAD64-B118-45AB-A1A8-77B1DD8040D9.jpeg
 

penumbra

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
9,377
Reaction score
15,841
Location
Front Royal, VA
USDA Zone
6
Picked up a pair of these at work and have really been digging them. They’re comfortable, locking mechanism is great, nice spring action, very user friendly -have been going in back pocket every day when I get home to water. Also, they’re so cheap I don’t mind occasionally really putting them through some work they’re probably not made for..

View attachment 317062
These are great. I have one in my car, one in my truck, one in my office and one goes with me when I water.
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,608
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
if i misplace the silver ones, often the stand in ones will do a similar job at pruning thinner deciduous branching. sharp garden secateurs are great too and another of my go to tools.


has anyone ever watched Ryan pruning on the live streams, often he'll just use the same electrical wire cutters to clip a wired branch as he would when pruning an unwired branch. he rarely switches to a specific pair of bonsai pruning scissors. not saying he doesnt use them though, but non specific tools are just as effective on many occasions.

i tried this for myself.
i bought a pair of £5 electrical wire cutters on ebay and used them to prune wired branches along with finer wireless twigs and they worked fine. clean smooth cuts.

i wondered to myself why Ryan wasnt switching back to the bonsai scissors, its because the wire cutters were doing as good a job.
then i saw Peter warren using a small electrical wire cutter to prune a maple on one of the mirai streams and i went n bought one. cheap as peanuts.
Agreed, they work really well especially when wiring and not wanting to switch. They hang on a pinky while wiring and are always ready!
The ones I use are called FLART wire cutters.IMG_3243 2.JPG
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,608
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
OK, thanks, I call it a knob cutter. I use one fairly often but not as often as my concave cutter. Like I said, its two different animals.
Agreed, the cutting action is very different the way the blades meet and they leave a different shape in their wake! The concave definitely give a different angle of approach from the other style!
 

TN_Jim

Omono
Messages
1,972
Reaction score
2,442
Location
Richmond VA
USDA Zone
7a
I thought the op was asking about scissors...



it got weird..



795718FB-6E14-4F8F-B97E-69C340E860A0.jpegt
 

canoeguide

Chumono
Messages
603
Reaction score
1,175
Location
central PA
USDA Zone
6a
If we're talking just scissors, these (or others just like them) meet most of my needs and are inexpensive.
TCS-2_3f48a8a1-c9ad-403f-90b9-bedc87d59ef8_large.jpg

For something a little more delicate, stainless surgical scissors are also very affordable.
 

NickUK

Seedling
Messages
21
Reaction score
29
That's a small root cutter, and I use it a lot by the end of winter/beginning of spring to repot all shohin.

Ah OK - Do I see a lot of people using scissors like that for general pruning (on YouTube?) - Going back to the original question, I was just wondering if it came down to personal preference between that, and the thinner pruning shears?

Just to make it easier.... These are the 2 I'm comparing.....


And


Obviously you can cut thicker material with the top scissors, but I also see a lot of people using them for general pruning of leaves and small branches as well (something the bottom scissors would also do).

I guess if you already had some "traditional" scissors such as.... https://kaneshin.shop2.multilingualcart.com/goods_en_jpy_771.html

Would you need the top pair of scissors?
 

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
I don't mix root scissors with leaf scissors.
I use a long one to prune thick, dense or thorny foliage.
I use a short one for small, delicate or sparse foliage.
Make it simple.
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,608
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
Ah OK - Do I see a lot of people using scissors like that for general pruning (on YouTube?) - Going back to the original question, I was just wondering if it came down to personal preference between that, and the thinner pruning shears?

Just to make it easier.... These are the 2 I'm comparing.....


And


Obviously you can cut thicker material with the top scissors, but I also see a lot of people using them for general pruning of leaves and small branches as well (something the bottom scissors would also do).

I guess if you already had some "traditional" scissors such as.... https://kaneshin.shop2.multilingualcart.com/goods_en_jpy_771.html

Would you need the top pair of scissors?
If you wish dedicated pruning scissors then two pair is desirable!
I do not mix root scissors with pruning tasks.
keep in mind that one can do the job with almost any type if they are strong enough and kept sharp! It is difficult to keep root scissors from nicking with substrate when working, therefore difficult to maintain a sharp clean edge for pruning!
Last point!
If working with deeper structure, larger canopy. Choose the longer scissor for easier access. If they have an equally slim profile.
If you work primarily with smaller bonsai than the shorter length is a better choice.
 

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
I don't mix root scissors with leaf scissors.
I use a long one to prune thick, dense or thorny foliage.
I use a short one for small, delicate or sparse foliage.

Ah, hehehehe this is great, me and Frank gave the same advice with different words!
:cool:

River's Edge said:
I do not mix root scissors with pruning tasks.
If working with deeper structure, larger canopy. Choose the longer scissor for easier access. If they have an equally slim profile.
If you work primarily with smaller bonsai than the shorter length is a better choice.

@River's Edge thanks for confirming their use!
:)
 

Arlithrien

Shohin
Messages
395
Reaction score
502
Location
Tampa, FL
USDA Zone
9b
If you want to feel fancy while staying cheap, harbor freight sells bonsai shears for $1.99. They are made of only the lowest quality chinesium and I had to wrap the handles in electrical tape to stop them from hurting my hands every time I snip a branch, but they work.
 

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
If you want to feel fancy while staying cheap, harbor freight sells bonsai shears for $1.99. They are made of only the lowest quality chinesium and I had to wrap the handles in electrical tape to stop them from hurting my hands every time I snip a branch, but they work.
Is it worth it?
Nope.
 
Top Bottom