Returning to bonsai - Tool recommendations

[Rambles]

Returning to bonsai after a few years of interesting times.

Who is currently making good daily-driver tools?
I've never been at a skill level or had enough developed trees that I felt like "the best" was justified. Seemed kind of overkill. But looking to rebuild my kit and seeing several trusted names have slid in quality, and a whole flood of Amazon alphabetsoup brands in the shops I've stuck my head in. Kinda overwhelmed by the amount of dreck I'm seeing.

Who is making solid tools worth buying for the intermediate enthusiast?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Welcome Aboard BonsaiNut… again!

Got me wondering what your interesting times looked like… having many myself!

You’ll get a gazillion answers on this question. However can tell you we have tried many brands. For an intermediate person Kaneshin will work supremely well for all purposes.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[vp999]

I like American Bonsai tools, very good quality and solid feel, but im hearing that they are having delays in shipping due to short staffing.

 

[eugenev2]

I've been using ryuga for the last 4...i know some will say it's not that long, but scissor are only now needing a sharpening, so not bad, it's a chinese brand and they seem to produce the same product under other brand names under the ym group. But i got mine for about half of the equivalent Kaneshin price, so a decent budget friendly option

 

[rockm]

FWIW, I have never bought a tool by its name brand or maker. I've only bought five or six tools online and i have a few dozen overall.

I buy tools in person at local shows, or from local people. I buy them by feel. Good tools have a particular feel and handle to them. You know it when you pick one up or actually use it. The balance and steel quality speak for themselves. Almost all those tools are Japanese-made. Only two or three aren't, out of 30-40 that I own. IMO most any Japanese made tool is worth the money and will last for a while.

I've bought American Bonsai tools online. They're OK, i guess. I've bought Chinese-made tools online as well, meh.

 

[pandacular]

I have a mix of Kaneshin, Joshua Roth, Ryuga, and American Bonsai. The first two are absolutely my preference in terms of quality and value. The Ryuga tools are fine, but they do not make the clean cuts with ease that the first two do. My American Bonsai tools are stainless, and are my main “garden handy” tools. They don’t cut as well as the black steel, but I’m not as worried about leaving them on a bench.

I always think that if budget is a concern, start with a small set of high quality black steel (Kaneshin, Joshua Roth are the ones I have experience) and expand overtime. You only really need scissors/shears, concave cutters, and maybe some heavy duty root cutters to start. Most everything can be added as you find those tools deficient. I think of cheap tools as a false economy—you’ll likely end up spending more in the end, and they can’t be sold for much at all if you don’t like them.

 

[Wood]

I have liked my Wazakura shears and knob cutters recently. They’re a newer brand And a good value purchase. My other Kaneshin tools have also been nice