The narrow branch cutter is specially designed for the care of small and medium bonsai and the fine work in the dense and fine crown areas. It is indispensable when thin branches need to be removed flush at the base of the trunk or center shoots in branch forks (especially japanese maples). This tool can also be used to great effect for cutting pine buds. However, when attempting to cut branches that are too thick or hard, this tool can be damaged. This is where regular concave pliers should be used. In addition, unlike simple pliers, the blades of branch cutters engage one over the other when closed. This is a special quality feature of this tool and it requires a lot of experience to manufacture. As a result, the cut of the branch cutters is comparable to that of a pair of scissors and correspondingly clean. In addition, the arrangement makes the blades sharper for longer and more durable overall. When choosing pliers, it is necessary to take into account the fact that half the length of the blade roughly dictates the maximum diameter of the branch to be cut. So, for example, if the blade has a length of 25 mm, the branch to be cut should not be thicker than 12 mm. Depending on the type of wood, however, there can be deviations here and especially with the narrow version, you should not cut branches that are too strong!
The production of bonsai tools has a long tradition in Japan and is still a real craftsmanship that must be learned over years. Through the use of special and proven materials as well as a lot of experience and the high standards in manufacturing, tools of excellent quality are created. So if you don't want to compromise when choosing your bonsai tool, you are well equipped with the Japanese tool.
About Kikuwa: In addition to the renowned manufacturers, such as Kaneshin and Masakuni, we offer mainly tools from Kikuwa. The Japanese traditional company produces tools in premium quality, which have proven themselves in practice and convince with their enormous durability when used properly.
