Guide to Bonsai Tools
Two Green Men / Bonsai tool guide
Choosing suitable tools makes caring for bonsai more comfortable and precise. This guide explains how eight commonly used tools support pruning, repotting and shaping, so you can choose what suits your tree and your experience.
You can begin with a few well chosen tools and build your collection as you learn. Below, we explain what each tool is designed to do, where it offers an advantage over ordinary scissors or pruners, and how our Two Green Men range can help with the work you have planned.
Consider the material you will be working with and the space around it. A tool that suits the thickness of a branch, reaches comfortably between shoots or handles wire without touching the bark will give you better control.
Shoots and branches
Bonsai scissors help maintain fine growth, while concave and knob cutters are used for branch removal and more detailed work on woody material.
Roots and growing mix
Root hooks and rakes loosen growing mix and separate roots before pruning. The choice depends on how compacted the root ball is and the area you need to work through.
Wire and deadwood
Wire cutters and pliers help position and remove training wire. Trunk splitters have a more specialised role in developing deadwood features.
Bonsai scissors
Bonsai scissors are useful for trimming soft shoots and fine twigs as you maintain the shape of your tree. Their narrow tips allow you to reach between closely spaced growth and position the blades accurately, which is particularly helpful in a small or dense canopy.
Kitchen scissors can be difficult to manoeuvre in these spaces, while garden pruners are generally better suited to thicker growth. Our bonsai scissors are a practical starting point for regular fine pruning. Reserve them for material within their cutting capacity, and use separate tools for woody branches, wire and roots containing grit. Pruning timing and technique should always suit the species.
A clean cut
Sharp blades that suit the thickness of the shoot can produce an even cut with minimal tearing.
A damaged cut
Dull blades, excessive pressure or twisting the tool can crush the shoot and tear its fibres.
Concave cutter
A concave cutter is designed to remove branches close to their junction with the trunk or a larger branch. Its curved cutting edges can create a shallow recess where appropriate, reducing the protruding stub that ordinary pruners may leave. This makes it useful when refining the structure and appearance of a bonsai.
Our concave cutter is a useful addition when your work progresses beyond trimming fine growth. Choose a cutter or saw suited to the branch diameter, and avoid removing healthy trunk tissue in an effort to make the cut deeper. How well a wound closes depends on the species, the tree’s vigour and the care it receives afterwards.
Knob cutters
Knob cutters have rounded jaws that remove small amounts of protruding wood with good control. They are commonly used to refine a raised remnant after a branch has been removed, particularly where its shape makes it difficult to finish with a concave cutter.
The rounded cutting head serves a different purpose from the longer edge of a concave cutter, and ordinary scissors are unsuitable for this work. Our knob cutters allow gradual refinement, giving you time to assess the surface as you work. Remove only what is needed, as excessive hollowing creates a larger wound and does not guarantee a less visible scar.
Understanding the shape of a pruning wound
These side profiles illustrate how different cuts affect the remaining wood. The most suitable approach depends on the branch and the tree.
A remaining branch stub
Pruners may leave a protruding stub when their cutting head cannot reach the branch junction comfortably.
A shallow recess
Where appropriate, a concave cutter can remove the branch with a shallow recess while preserving surrounding living tissue.
An unnecessarily deep cut
Removing too much wood enlarges the wound. Use knob cutters selectively to refine raised material without excessive hollowing.
These diagrams show general differences rather than a prescribed cutting depth. The branch collar, species and wound size all influence the position of a cut; cutting flush against the trunk is not always appropriate.
Root hook
A root hook is useful during repotting when you need to loosen a compacted section of the root ball. Its single tine gives access to individual tangles and helps release old growing mix, allowing you to work carefully through one area before moving to the next.
Compared with a rake, our root hook concentrates the work in a smaller area. It is more suitable for separating tangled roots than using scissors or pruners to pull them apart, which can cause unintended cuts. Support the root ball, work gently from the outside and keep exposed roots moist. Any roots that need shortening should then be pruned with a suitable cutting tool.
Root rake
A root rake helps separate the outer roots and loosen growing mix across a broader area. Its multiple teeth are useful once the roots can be worked through gently, making their structure easier to see before you decide which to retain or prune.
Our root rake complements the more focused action of a root hook. Use the hook where a local tangle needs attention, then the rake for wider sections that separate readily. If you meet resistance, loosen that area before continuing. The timing of repotting and the amount of root work should reflect the species, season and condition of the tree.
Choosing between a root hook and a rake
Root hook
The single tine helps loosen a compacted area gradually, giving you control over individual tangles.
Root rake
Several teeth work across a wider section, separating roots and releasing growing mix where there is little resistance.
Both tools prepare the root ball for inspection. Use a suitable cutting tool for any roots that need pruning.
Wire cutters
Bonsai wire cutters are used to cut training wire to length and remove it as branches thicken. When taking wire off a tree, cutting each turn into short sections allows it to be lifted away with less movement of the branch than unwinding a continuous coil.
Our wire cutters keep this work separate from pruning, protecting the edges of your scissors and branch cutters. Their usefulness around a bonsai comes from being able to position the cutting head carefully between coils, where bulky general purpose cutters may be awkward. Keep the jaws clear of the bark, stay within the tool’s capacity and check wired branches regularly so the wire can be removed before it becomes embedded.
Removing wire with minimal branch movement
01 / Cut the wire
Cut each turn with suitable wire cutters, positioning the jaws carefully to avoid the bark.
02 / Remove the sections
Lift the short pieces away gently while supporting the branch, avoiding unnecessary twisting.
03 / Inspect the branch
Check the bark for marks and assess the branch’s condition before deciding whether to wire it again.
This sequence illustrates the general method. If wire has become embedded, seek experienced advice rather than digging into the bark to reach it.
Bonsai pliers
Bonsai pliers provide a secure grip when working with short wire ends or adjusting the wires that hold a tree in its pot. Their tapered jaws help with access around branches and roots. They can also be used in jin work, where fibres are carefully peeled from deadwood to develop its appearance.
General long nose pliers can perform some of these tasks, although their size and shape may be less comfortable around a small tree. Our bonsai pliers offer a dedicated option for this detailed work. Avoid gripping living bark with serrated jaws, and tighten anchoring wire gradually so the tree is secure without damaging its roots or trunk.
Trunk splitter
A trunk splitter separates woody material along the grain. In deadwood work, this can expose fibres that are then carefully removed or shaped, helping create a textured surface that follows the wood’s natural structure. It has a different role from a saw, which cuts across the material.
Our trunk splitter is a specialised tool for growers who are comfortable planning and refining deadwood features. Splits can travel further than expected, so work cautiously, keep your hands clear and wear eye protection. Techniques involving the splitting of living trunks require specialist guidance and should not be approached as routine pruning.
Choosing your first bonsai tools
Regular maintenance
For a tree that mainly needs fine pruning, a good pair of bonsai scissors is often the most useful first purchase. A concave cutter can follow when suitable branch removal becomes part of your work. There is no need to buy a complete set before you know which tasks you will be doing regularly.
Repotting and shaping
For repotting, choose a root hook or rake according to the condition of the roots. Wire cutters and pliers are useful when you begin wiring, while knob cutters and a trunk splitter can be added as you gain experience with more detailed refinement.
Caring for your bonsai tools
Keeping tools clean and sharp makes them easier to use and helps protect your tree. Remove sap and soil after each session, dry the tools thoroughly and apply suitable tool oil where recommended. Store cutting edges safely, use each tool for its intended purpose and clean and disinfect tools appropriately when moving from diseased material to healthy trees.
Perth’s hot weather can place additional stress on a tree recovering from heavy pruning or root work. Plan these tasks around the species and its growth cycle, taking its current health into account. Preparing suitable aftercare before you begin gives the tree a better opportunity to recover.
Further reading and technique guidance
The resources below provide further explanations and demonstrations to support your learning. For advice on individual techniques, explore Bonsai Empire’s tool guide, its guides to pruning, repotting, wiring and deadwood, plus Bonsai Tonight’s advice on using basic tools and tool care.
Join us for a bonsai workshop
If you would like help getting started, our beginner bonsai workshop gives you the opportunity to use the tools with guidance from our team. We explain how and why each tool is used as we work through pruning, wiring and potting together.
You will create a potted Juniper, with an option to make a second bonsai using another Juniper or an Australian native. Trees, pots, soil, wire and use of the tools are included, along with guidance throughout the session.
View workshop details and available dates →
Suitable for beginners • Perth • Options for one or two trees
