BSSJ Bonsai Topics: Care of BONSAI TOOLS

Flex Houvig / BSSJ

Bonsai tools are to a bonsai artist as pencils and paints to an illustrator. To get the greatest utility from our tools, it is essential that we learn the proper methods of cleaning, sharpening, and maintaining our tools.

The normal sequence for a tool care session is: - clean the tool - Inspect the tool for nicks on blades, or joints which are too loose - sharpen the edges on those tools which cut - lubricate and seal the nished metal. Cleaning Tools: Given that our tools are used on plants which have sap, and are many times moist or wet, there is usually an accumulation of sap, bark dust, and some rust spots on our tools. There is an excellent product which can be used to remove sap and rust, called Sandex, which is the rst maintenance tool used in the sharpening process. For my tools, I prefer Sandex, medium grade.

This cleaning block is hand-held, and used to scrub away rust, dirt and sap. Once this is completed, the tool can be examined. Here we can see a section of a tool where a spot of rust has started....

Using the Sandex to gently rub over this spot 6-8 times, the rust spot is nicely removed. Sandex also removes built-up sap from scissors. Here a dirty blade can be seen before using

Sandex, and the clean blade after. Inspecting Tools: Look over each tool. Notice: - nicks along the sharp edge of a cutting tool - bent blades or handles - loose or tight rivets or hinges Some of these defects can be corrected, while others cannot. Tools which are too loose or have large nicks in the blades should be set aside for further evaluation. For really bad defects, consider investing in a new tool....you will feel better if you do! Small nicks on the edge of a blade can sometimes be removed during the sharpening process, depending on the size of the nick. Sharpening Cutting Tools: Our cutting tools are most effective when sharp. This is because sharp edges cut through wood cells, while dull cutters and scissors clamp and crush cells, resulting in a lot of damage to the area, as well as a messylooking job. There are many types of honing methods and stones. I prefer Japanese Waterstones, which are soaked in a large bowl of warm water before use. These stones are available online, and can be $30 to $50. (2) different grits

(400 and 1000) are useful. 400 grit allows restoration of an old unmaintained blade to the point where it can be sharpened, while

1000 grit performs the nal knife-edge sharpening. Curved blades are easily sharpened with round ceramic rods, which can be found in a kitchen supply store for a few dollars. One can also nd the popular EZE Lap hand diamond honers, in several grit grades. These are handy for a quick touch-up on a blunt edge. However, they should never be used for a full sharpening, as the diamond will remove a lot of metal from the edge in a very short time, and can do more harm than good. Care and patience is required for a good sharpening session! The cutting edge on all tools is the edge that is beveled. and this is the only edge which should be sharpened. On scissors, this edge is on the outside, and is easy to get to, and the scissors can usually be opened up wide enough so a Japanese water stone can be used to sharpen the tool. For other tools like concave cutters, knob cutters, and root cutters, the beveled edge is on the inside of the blade. This requires use of a rounded stone to sharpen, from the inside of the tool outward.This type of stone can be a simple round ceramic rod (like used in the inexpensive kitchen knife sharpener).

Prior to a sharpening session, Waterstones should be allowed to soak in water. This also tends to soften up the surface layer of the stone. This is important for the sharpening process, as the metal edge rubbing over the stone causes a slurry of stone, water and metal to form on the blade. This lubricates the edge, and helps the blade to run smoothly over the stone. When the stone is removed from the soaking bowl, it should be placed on something which can both absorb the water, and keep the stone from slipping during sharpening. I use an old folded towel.

If the tool has been kept in good shape, then the ner grit stone may be used right away to bring back the razor edge to the blade. Coarse grit stones would be used to straighten and re-vitalize an edge before ne grit sharpening. Straight-edged tools are placed on the stone surface. Feel for the bevel by rotating the blade slightly, until you can feel the bevel. Keeping the blade at the bevel angle you have just found, push the blade against the stone. This should be done in a smooth continuous motion, which helps to insure that the whole width of the blade is getting the same amount of contact with the stone, and the same amount of sharpening. This sharpening stroke should be repeated 2-3 more times on a blade that is in good condition. Once one blade of the tool is done the other blade may be sharpened in the same manner.

Be careful with sharpened blades, as a careless move can result in unwanted use of Bandaids! Scissors are easily sharpened on a 800 to 1200 grit Waterstone. The key to a sharp edge is to rst nd the correct angle of the bevel, then push the edge against the stone, stroking the edge down the stone in a single

smooth action, meanwhile keeping the same angle against the stone. Move in one direction only, against the edge. Do not attempt to sharpen on the at side of the scissor. Here we see the inside beveled edge of a knob cutter. To sharpen this edge, use the round ceramic rod. Find the bevel angle by holding the rod against the inside of the blade, and rotating the rod until you can feel the bevel. Gently run the rod across the blade, keeping the same angle to the bevel. 4-5 strokes should sharpen the edge nicely. Repeat the same thing on the other blade.

A root cutter also has the bevel on the inside, as we can see, so the same process can be used to sharpen these blades. One difference between the root cutter and the knob cutter is a straight blade versus a curved blade. This means a different motion is required for these different blades. The blade edge can be checked for sharpness using the ngers. Rub a nger ACROSS the blade edge (NOT along the edge), until it feels sufciently sharp. Once one blade is sharp the other blade can be sharpened and tested in the same manner. Checking The Bite: The blades on cutting tools work like shears. A good check to see if tool blades are coming together properly is to close the tool, and hold it up to the light. You should NOT be able to see a crack of light through the blades. If you do, then either the edges have been ground too far, or are out of line. Check concave cutters and root cutters by closing them, and you should see a slight overlap of the edges. This overlap should be even in the same amount over the complete surface of the blades where they meet. The cutting edges must be perfectly aligned with one another for proper cutting. If the blades are parallel-aligned, but show an air gap, then one way to get the blades back together is to remove a small amount of metal from the stop pin, which keeps the handles from closing farther. The pin can be ground at the point where the opposite handle seats against it, thus allowing the blades to close more. Once the blades can meet, the light test can again be used to see if additional metal should be removed from the edges, to parallel-align them.

Dont forget that wire cutters are also cutting tools, and can be sharpened in the same manner. This makes cutting wire easier. One caution on use of wire cutters: the scissor-type cutters are designed to handle up to about #14 gauge wire, while the heavier wire cutters handle 12 gauge and up. Trying to cut #6 or #8 gauge wire with a scissor-type cutter will result in bending the cutter handles and ruining the tool! Know your tools and how to use them! Once the tool blades have been correctly sharpened, the nishing touch is application of WD-40 to the sharpened edges, and the hinge pin. This will help seal out water, and will form a microthin surface seal over the metal, protecting it. When the sharpening session is nished, rinse off the Waterstones, and place them on an old towel to dry. I usually sharpen twice a year: once in mid to late Summer, and once in Winter. The one caution for the Winter session is that the Waterstones must be left to dry for several days in a warm environment, so ALL the water drains from the stone. This is a particular requirement if the Waterstones are stored in an environment where the temperature can drop below freezing. Placing a wet Waterstone back in an unheated storage area which is below freezing will result in the Waterstone cracking when the interior water freezes and expands. Summary: These techniques apply to all cutting tools, and when practiced properly, will allow many years of use from your cutters.