Yoshiaki vs roshi.

What tool set would you buy

  • Yoshiaki

    Votes: 9 75.0%

  • Roshi

    Votes: 3 25.0%
  • Total voters
    12
If you decide to purchase kaneshin or masakuni, please do check with qbonsai before you take the plunge. I've been a longtime customer of California bonsai, but he beat their price every time. He's a reliable vendor - pm him for a quote.
 
I've got a bunch of Yoshiaki tools from Bonsai West when I purchased my first cuttin' stuff.....
They are pretty good and have held up ok....don't try to do more than the tool can handle and most tools will work for you.
Kimura used to pimp Yoshiaki......their shears are a little sloppy, gently tap the pivot and they tighten up pretty good.
Bonsai West is carrying a brand called.........wait for it.......



wait






wait









Dingmu!!!!! and count me among the not impressed!?!?:mad:

markyscott said:
If you decide to purchase kaneshin or masakuni, please do check with qbonsai before you take the plunge. I've been a longtime customer of California bonsai, but he beat their price every time. He's a reliable vendor - pm him for a quote.
Click to expand...


THIS.....:cool:
 
I was just looking for a nice pair of SS concave cutters and SS scissors...


Yeah...


At those prices, it's a no. Would rather have more trees than 2 kaneshin tools.
 
Brian Van Fleet said:
I have had problems with Yoshayaki and Fujiyama tools; the pivot screw bends and then the blades no longer line up.
Click to expand...
I have a pair of Yoshayaki (Yoshiaki?) shears, bought about 3 years ago.. Up until about 2 months ago I would have reported as a satisfied customer, but the same exact thing you described above happened to mine... I don't think the branch I was cutting was huge/ way too big for the tool or anything like that, but the tips do not cross any longer, it doesn't meet flush and won't cut all the way to the tip... Basically they are trashed. I bought a Kaneshin shear straight from the factory to replace them and could not be happier... All the Kaneshin tools I have purchased are excellent. I have owned some cheap Chinese junk tools, medium quality Japanese tools and now have a few very good tools- Kaneshin and Kiku are the high quality ones I now own and both are fantastic tools! Sharp as Hell, solid, well built, blades meet the way they should, cuts are smoother... The difference is bigger than I anticipated. I started a thread some time ago about Kiku (well made Japanese tools) vs Kiku Classic (cheaper Chines made alternatives..). I own a concave cutter of each and don't even use the classic any longer.

I am slowly replacing my tools with better ones as the old ones rust, break or just wear out. No need to drop $1400 on a whole set all at once. Buy the tool you use most first, buy a good one and as you figure out which others are most important buy them along and along as you go. Before you know it you will have a nice assembly of tools and doing it progressively lets you adapt to your needs as you skills grow.

Price wise- Yoshayaki are good for the money, but KANESHIN is WAYYYYY better and though they cost about double/ Triple what Yoshayaki costs, Kaneshin is still about half what Masakuni will run you (or maybe 1/10th the cost if you are buying the hand made "special" Masakuni stuff!) Kiku is probably between Masakuni and Kaneshin in price but still affordable.. And it seems you can find them on sale for really good prices sometimes if you look around a bit. I got a SOLID pair of concave cutters for like $50 at the Carolina Expo last year... I think it was Meco Bonsai that I bought them from maybe...?
 
I second the recommendations for California Bonsai Studio - Travis is the guy if you're looking for Masakuni, especially if you're in Southern California and can go to the studio in person and pick out your tool(s) - that's what I did.
 
Eric Group said:
I have a pair of Yoshayaki (Yoshiaki?) shears, bought about 3 years ago.. Up until about 2 months ago I would have reported as a satisfied customer, but the same exact thing you described above happened to mine... I don't think the branch I was cutting was huge/ way too big for the tool or anything like that, but the tips do not cross any longer, it doesn't meet flush and won't cut all the way to the tip... Basically they are trashed. I bought a Kaneshin shear straight from the factory to replace them and could not be happier... All the Kaneshin tools I have purchased are excellent. I have owned some cheap Chinese junk tools, medium quality Japanese tools and now have a few very good tools- Kaneshin and Kiku are the high quality ones I now own and both are fantastic tools! Sharp as Hell, solid, well built, blades meet the way they should, cuts are smoother... The difference is bigger than I anticipated. I started a thread some time ago about Kiku (well made Japanese tools) vs Kiku Classic (cheaper Chines made alternatives..). I own a concave cutter of each and don't even use the classic any longer.

I am slowly replacing my tools with better ones as the old ones rust, break or just wear out. No need to drop $1400 on a whole set all at once. Buy the tool you use most first, buy a good one and as you figure out which others are most important buy them along and along as you go. Before you know it you will have a nice assembly of tools and doing it progressively lets you adapt to your needs as you skills grow.

Price wise- Yoshayaki are good for the money, but KANESHIN is WAYYYYY better and though they cost about double/ Triple what Yoshayaki costs, Kaneshin is still about half what Masakuni will run you (or maybe 1/10th the cost if you are buying the hand made "special" Masakuni stuff!) Kiku is probably between Masakuni and Kaneshin in price but still affordable.. And it seems you can find them on sale for really good prices sometimes if you look around a bit. I got a SOLID pair of concave cutters for like $50 at the Carolina Expo last year... I think it was Meco Bonsai that I bought them from maybe...?
Click to expand...

I think I may have paid $40 for the 8" Kaneshin concave cutters. Couldn't be happier with them. I've seen a lot poorer quality tools for sale for a lot more money.
 
Okay here's a big question are kiku and Kikuwa the same. I found a set of Kikuwa for about190.
 
Paradox said:
How do you know that? I just bought 2 tool from AB and so far they seem like excellent tools.
Click to expand...

Here's a note from the manufacturer when this was discussed before.

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/american-bonsai-tool-supply-co.17195/#post-289617

If you're happy with the quality, I don't think that the country of origin matters all that much. But seems as though they try to source most of their product line domestically.
 
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markyscott said:
But seems as though they try to source most of their product line domestically.
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I completely agree. I've met Cullen and his wife and they are both very genuine people that want to live up to their company name. Their working on it but it isn't easy to source American made products that are both affordable and well made.
 
Sorry but to me bonsai is a Japanese art form and they know best so I'll stick with bonsai tools made in Japan. One reason Im cutting out roshi.
 
I would like any available information onKikuwa. also if kiku and Kikuwa are the same company. I've heard Kikuwa and Yoshi are about equal. I'd like to start with a $200 set due to the wife. She thinks I'm crazy just for that. The i can slow sneak in better quality tools. Also if not really knowing anything I will tend to push the tools and if I bend a $100+ pair of concave cutters like I did on this $70 set I'll be really ticed off. But starting with a $40+ pair I be like shoot to much. Also I'll get a better feel for the tools. I don't need life long tool at this point in my "studies" I just need a set to get the job donr, needless to say. I don't even really know how to keep up on the tools properly so cleaning and sharpening a $150 pair of satsuki shears improperly could be devastating. As for trees I plan on filling the so I'm growing jbp, jwp, trident, Jap maple, hornbeam, olive, Chinese junipers, and quince. Also have planted a Jap crab apple for cuttings. With all these i can push the boundaries and find out what will and won't work and what will kill. Sorry for the book and good night o btw im in Maryland.
 
petegreg said:
Trying to find sth more about Yoshiaki I came to this site http://www.j-bonsai.com/product-list/6 . They offer Yoshi and Nobuichi, the second Coy's tools are used by some people I know and they're very satisfied wild them.

I'm +1 for Kaneshin, very good ratio money vs. quality and many tools to find right what I need.
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It's confusing these days. Not a lot of small companies like the old days. Even some Masakuni are made by sub-contractors. And I think the name has jacked the cost way out of proportion. I'm glad to see Nobuichi available in the US again. I'm very impressed with the quality and finish of these tools. Nobuichi Urushibata has my respect.
 
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