A fine crowd filled the Hall of Flowers meeting room for our workshop on tool care and sharpening led by Robert Smith. BSSF members brought along their bonsai tools for one-on-one instruction from Robert and other experienced members. Robert began the workshop by discussing the fine points of maintaining your bonsai tools such as tool quality, maintenance, and sharpening materials.

Bonsai tools are vehicles for creating and working with your trees. By keeping your tools in perfect condition, you will enhance your own bonsai skills and keep your trees healthy. Therefore, you should always work with high quality bonsai tools. The best bonsai tools are made in Japan with excellent steel. The higher quality steel holds a sharpened edge longer than lower quality tools made with weaker steel. Popular brands are Masakuni, Fujiama, and Joshua Roth.

The main topic of the meeting was on tool sharpening. Tool sharpening is not complicated, but requires some specialized equipment before starting. Robert placed an emphasis on preparing work area. You should work on a sturdy table or counter top that is well lit. A strong light source allows you to monitor the progress of the sharpening because the sharpened edge reflects light more than a dull edge.

Bonsai shears and knives are sharpened on a wet stone. Robert prefers a 8” x 2” 1000/6000 combination stone for sharpening. Before sharpening, rust and tree sap should be removed. A gentle solvent or “rust eraser” can be used to easily clean the surfaces of tools. The wet stone is soaked in water and kept wet during the sharpening to lubricate the tool. The stone is placed on a wooden block to elevate the stone and keep it from moving. A C-clamp can also be used to secure the stone to the work surface.
Bonsai shears and knives are pulled across the stone with the sharpened edge trailing the stroke. With new tools, the edge is passed over the stone until the edge is “true”. This removes any imperfections along the length of the blade. Once the edge is uniform, the blade is tilted approximately 5 degrees and passed across the stone to form a cutting edge. Once the cutting edge is formed, the metal files clinging to the blade edge are removed with a few passes over a leather belt containing a polishing paste.

Once your tools are cleaned and sharpened, they should be covered with a light coating of oil to prevent rusting. WD-40 is a popular choice. Camellia oil, which is available from various bonsai outlets is also an ideal coating.

Robert entertained questions from the members during the discussion:

“What is the purpose of the wooden stand holding the stone?” While the stand gives space for handles, especially in the case of scissors the stand amplifies the scraping sound made when the sharp edge is in proper contact with the stone.

“There are so many different sized stones. Does it make any difference what size stone is used?” The excellent 1000, 6000 combination stone comes in two sizes. The smaller one, 8”X2”X1” is large enough for all of our bonsai tools and significantly less expensive than the larger sizes. Also some small stones or ceramic rods are needed to get into spaces the large stone cannot.

“Why pay so much money for that fine pair of scissors when an inexpensive pair can be sharpened and cut just as well?” It is just so pleasant to hold and use a tool that has been created as a work of art. This idea can guide us all when we select those tools we use and care for.

Water stones were offered for sale by the club. All the stones have been sold. If you need sharpening equipment, Robert Smith will provide locations and outlet where you can order material. Handouts were provided at the meeting and will be available online in the future. Paper copies are also available from Robert. If you missed this meeting, bring your tools to the Thursday workshop for a quick review.

Some thoughts to remember:

1. Start sharpening now. New tools will be better if sharpened immediately.

2. Get your sharpening equipment together. A water stone about 8 inches long by 2 inches wide with 1000 grit on one side and 6000 on the other is excellent for bonsai tools, an elevated stand to amplify the sound produced when grinding and provide space for handles of tools to pass, some small special shapes especially round for removing burrs inside curves and to get into places the large stone can’t go, and a leather strop with some polishing compound for final polishing and alignment.

3. Set up a work place. A table, workbench or kitchen counter top can support the set up. A clamp can be attached to the edge to keep the stone from moving. A strong light source should be available for judging the polished edge that results from your sharpening efforts.

4. Examine and consider using the manufacturer’s angles. A good tool will have been ground at an optimal angle by the manufacturer. Sharpen on that angle.

5. Relax and enjoy the process. Small mistakes will not be a bother and even disappear as you improve. If attention is focused on maintaining the same angle during repetition of strokes small inconsistencies will average out. Errors can be corrected in alignment by grinding more in areas with too much metal.

6. Use the tool and enjoy the results. When a just sharpened tool is used for work the results produced are so nice that the value is realized.

7. Soon, the need for sharpening again will be apparent from the results. When the cuts begin to appear rough or difficult to make, sharpen again.

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