[Georgezilla]

I'm wanting to pick up a decent set of concave cutters for use on medium bonsai(12" - 15" tall).
These are the pairs I am looking at:

http://www.dallasbon...ave-cutter.html

http://www.dallasbon...ave-cutter.html

Which size would do me better, and are these cutters decent?

[jkl]

They're both fine tools. You can use the 10 inch cutter on small trees. You can NOT use the 8 inch cutters on large trees.

[Georgezilla]

In that case, I shall get the 10 inchers. Thanks jkl!

jkl, if you don't mind (or anyone who doesn't mind), could you give me your opinion/post a link on spherical/rounded concave cutters v.s. regular concave cutters? Just wondering about the pros and cons, if there are any.

[jkl]

The differences are minor and esoteric and have been created, mostly, I think, as a way to sell yet another needless tool.

[Georgezilla]

I see. That's kinda what I thought also. Only one of my books even mentions the spherical/rounded cutters.

[Brent]

Well gee, I guess it's up to me to give the dissenting opinion. First a little background, I use bonsai tools professionally, so I really give them a workout, pruning literally tens of thousands of plants a year. I have both eight inch and ten inch concave cutters. I use the eight inch almost every day, sometimes for hours a day. I hardly ever use the ten inch. They are big and heavy. By the time I find a branch big enough to justify the ten inch cutters, I find myself using the ten inch knob cutters instead since the more extreme jaw curvature results in much greater ease of cutting.

As for spherical concave cutters, they are a superior tool, but I don't use them every day, but rather save them for special work where I want a true hemispherical cut that is very neat and clean. Regular concave cutters have straight jaws that actually make a V shaped cut. For most rough work and small work, this is fine. Spherical concave cutters work with much more ease because the curved jaws enter the wood progressively. The difference in force required is remarkable. The really big drawback to spherical concave cutters is the difficulty in sharpening them (the other reason I don't use them all the time). All concave cutters are difficult to sharpen, but the spherical version requires extreme care because of the curved jaws. I finally acquired a tapered diamond hone that does the job nicely.

Brent
EvergreenGardenworks.com
see our blog at http://BonsaiNurseryman.typepad.com

[Georgezilla]

Good points. At the dawn of spring, the first thing I will be cutting with the concaves is this branch:

(Pencil for size reference)



I'm not sure if the 8" ones can handle that. According to my books, if the branch is greater in diameter than half the width of the cutters blades, you should use bigger cutters. I don't know how big the blades are on the 8" ones, but it seems they would not be up for their first task. What do you guys think?

[Brent]

That's a job for a small pull saw.

Brent

[Georgezilla]

I see. At least I don't have to order that tool on the internet.

Thank you both very much for the advice.

[MrEdd00]

Georgezilla, on 01 September 2009 - 06:03 PM, said:

I see. At least I don't have to order that tool on the internet.

Thank you both very much for the advice.

You sure you know what he ment by a pull saw? It's not just some saw blade that you buy in a hardware store. You may find one in a good garden center but I dont know how small they sell them...............just dont want to see you hurt a good thing.

later,Edd

[Georgezilla]

It is a saw that only cuts on the pull stroke. Would you mind linking one that you think is the appropriate size?

[Brent]

http://www.evergreen...s.com/tools.htm

It is highly unlikely that you will find a saw like this except online or in a bonsai shop. The blade is extremely thin and the teeth very small, about 16 or so per inch. They are more expensive than the larger landscape pull saws, but not inordinately so. A saw like this will leave a cut so smooth it looks like it was polished.

Brent

[MrEdd00]

I dont remember where I got it 4 yrs. ago but here it a pic. to give you an idea what to look for. As for size it dependes on what size bonsai of collected tree you work with. This 9 in. one without the tip (|) that I broke off sawing a root below the ground. Anyway this size seems to be good for most of what I needed it for. I hope this helps you.

later,Edd

Attached thumbnail(s)

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[Georgezilla]

Thanks guys. MrEdd00, the one I had in mind is about the size of your "modified" one. Brent, that link isn't working for me.

[Brent]

Sorry about that. You'd think I could remember my own file names!

http://www.evergreen...com/toolcat.htm

Brent