Okatsune tools

World Class Bonsai Shear

Many people don’t know about Okatsune tools. Those that do, love them, though many of those people don’t know that Okatsune makes a bonsai shear. I’ve been using mine for over ten years and I’ve never had to sharpen them. To be sure I use other shears (it’s good to work with all the tools we sell), but I always return to my Okatsunes. This is a good time These Okatsune shears are discounted (really double discounted) right now. So are over 250 other items. Here’s another Okatsune shear that I use all the time. It’s a wonder for heavier … Continue reading World Class Bonsai Shear

500,000 Cuts, All Beat Up & Still Cutting

These well worn Okatsune bypass shears belong to Greg McNally and Tune Faulkner of Fall Brook Tree Farm in Wheelock Vermont. Tune uses hers all year, but most intensively before the holidays when she makes wreaths. She makes thousands of cuts a day when she’s going strong and has been using the same shears for years. We came up with 500,000 cuts, but suspect it could easily be twice that. This photo and the next one are by Amy Palmer. Bonsai and other uses I use my Okatsunes (the 8″ ones, some people prefer the 7″) in my garden and … Continue reading 500,000 Cuts, All Beat Up & Still Cutting

Field Growing #8: Old Cole’s Hemlocks

A Cole’s prostrate hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Cole’s Prostrate’) that went from nursery container to my back yard and then into this growing pot (it’s now back in the ground, no photo yet). I cut off about 75% of the original. Some of the deadwood is new, but the more faded deadwood on the trunk was already there. Photo by Amy Palmer. Old Cole’s prostrate hemlocks A couple years ago I stumbled across eight amazing old Cole’s prostrate hemlocks in nursery pots at Palmer Koelb’s Baker Valley Nursery in New Hampshire (Palmer also owns Shin Boku Nursery). Palmer loves Okatsune tools, … Continue reading Field Growing #8: Old Cole’s Hemlocks

Just Arrived: New Tools from Japan

Old favorites back in stock Over at Stone Lantern, tools that some of you have been waiting for are back in stock; including my favorite, these sword shears. I do a lot of bonsai field growing as well as landscaping and keep mine close at hand to make quick work of of 10,000 little jobs.