Cheap vs Expensive Bonsai Tools
Photographed are a set of Chinese " Carbon Steel " branch cutters which have been left out in the rain for a few days ( they should have rusted if they were carbon steel ). The brand has been blurred as this post is not too bash but too educate so people can make the correct choices for them when purchasing bonsai tools.
Chinese bonsai tools are cheap and are good for beginners to get into bonsai at a lower price point, Japanese bonsai tools are a little more expensive but will have top performance and longevity.
This particular set of branch cutters comes in many different brands, they are what we call a white label product, meaning a factory makes a standard line of products and you can have what ever you like stamped on the tool as a brand and they will also do branded packaging for you. You will be able to find this exact set of branch cutters in many different brands especially on amazon and ebay and also many online bonsai shops. This particular set is actually marketed as Japanese Steel.
Now you can see the branch cutters are supposed to be " Carbon Steel " due to their black colour but in fact after speaking with the factory in China these are alloy steel which is essentially the hotdog meat of steel, its not consistent and it has all sorts in it, meaning some will be harder then others and some will have a good chromium content meaning they wont rust but will be soft. IF this were a true Japanese Carbon Steel they would have rusted up over night ( i know that sounds like a negative but read on ).
( Pictured Above : Factory's Catalogue For Those Exact Branch Cutters, The Steel Used Is Marked As Top Stainless Alloy With A Fine Polished Black Finish. The details are blurred out to protect the factory and its product as once again this is not to discourage but to educate )
Lets talk positive about this line of tools for a second though, they are cheap and affordable for the beginner and perform well for their price point, this allows new comers to get into bonsai with the correct tools which will actually be a big positive for them rather then trying to use things like garden shears or kitchen scissors because they cant afford proper tools. Every product needs an entry level and these are actually a really good entry level product ( its just a shame they are marketed as something they are not ).
As you can see they will require little care which for some might also be a positive. Where these tools will fall short though is longevity, over your bonsai journey if you choose to practise for a long time you will end up buying multiple sets of these which means buying the tool multiple times and if bought online paying for shipping multiple times. They will dull faster then quality steel tools meaning youll spend more time sharpening and when sharpened they will loose blade material eventually wearing down the blades to a point they no longer perform well.
This is where Japanese Steel takes over. Because it is a true carbon steel it is much harder meaning it can be ground down to a finer sharper edge which will actually stay sharp for longer which = less sharpening. When you do need to sharpen you will also remove less material from the blade before the edge returns which = longevity. The trade off for this hardness though is the fact that the tools will rust very quickly if left exposed to moisture ( you accidentally leave them outside over night ). They wont pit overnight but they will get surface rust, left outside for a longer period of time though and they will pit potentially ruining the tool. They will take a little extra care but if looked after should be the only set you ever purchase saving you money and time in the long term. They do also perform better as they are sharper and the movement of the tools is night and day smoother which is not a necessity but certainly is nice. Now there are a lot of Japanese Tools that are also white labelled but the difference is they are actually all quality tools in which you can verify the steels used.
So what's my conclusion here? Chinese tools do have their place in the market, they serve the purpose of allowing beginners to get into bonsai at a lower price point while also allowing them to use the proper tools which will mean they do better quality work. If buying chinese tools just be aware that you will be buying that same tool again at some point and if you buy another chinese tool youll be replacing that at some point too. over the years this can get expensive and annoying.
Japanese Tools although more expensive out perform the chinese tools in terms of the sharpness of the blades and the ability to hold that sharpness for much longer. They also respond better to sharpening with the ability to restore a sharp edge without losing too much blade material meaning they should be your only tool you purchase if cared for and used correctly. The downside is they are more expensive as an up front cost and they will require a little more mainteance which might involve oiling your tools.
I hope this has helped you decide if you need Chinese tools or Japanese tools for your bonsai tool kit.
