Stanwood Bonsai Tool 14-Piece Carbon Steel Shear Set and Tool Kit Discontinued by Manufacturer

Now, I know it is a bit unfair to rate a product on anything other than how the tools performed, but this review is just that. I ordered this product for my dad since he is starting to grow bonsai trees. He does this as a hobby and not as a job. With father's day right around the corner my brothers and I thought it would be a nice gift to give my dad. This 14-Piece set seemed like it had everything that a beginner would need. In fact, a beginner would probably be unable to fully grasp this many tools since you would have to learn each tools function. There's a tool for cutting leaves, one for small branches, one for big, there is a lot of room for you to be able to explore. I wouldn't rate these as top notch tools anyways, but for a beginner they would probably suffice.When I received this item on Monday (June 10, 2013) I was pretty excited. From past experiences, I have grown accustomed to opening things before I gift them to the person I got it for. I do this because mistakes can be made and I know that we're all capable of them. So when I opened this package I carefully inspected each tool and made sure all the tools were there. To my surprise, only 10 tools were there. Of course I thought I got a bad box so I filed a return with Amazon and requested a replacement. As usual Amazon's return was painless and they set a new one the very next day.Today (June 12, 2013) I received the new set. From just the exterior, this set was worse than the first. The tools are all in a box, for the first one I received, the box was in a box so it was protected, for the second one though, they set it out with just the tool box. No protection, nothing. As you could probably guess, the box looked really dirty and beaten. I then went to open the box and count, and to my surprise only 10 tools were there again. This is really strange to me that I would receive two packages that only have 10 items in it. I would think one time was ok, but two times in a row? I decided to just request a regular refund for it and I will instead be going for a different bonsai tool set from Amazon. Amazon was amazing as usual with their return and they paid for the postage since it was not my fault.I know it's not fair to rate an item just for the shipping and receiving part, but in this case I felt compelled enough to write a bad review. I normally do not write reviews, but this time I felt it was necessary in order to let people know before they purchase this. There are other reviews for this, so I'm guessing that I just received two bad batches. You can say that this isn't a useful review, but I think it is a cause of concern since this company packaged two sets with only 10 tools. My advice is just double check how many items there are as soon as you get it since that will allow you to return within the 30 day time period for returns.

It has everything you would ever need for bonsai.Only thing is the quality of the tools.Everything is sharp and can cut but the mechanics of closing/opening are poor crafts.Sometimes you can pinch your pinky when closing/material is rough on the skin. Try to wrap handles with tissue or wear a glove when handling for long periods of time.Find the tools you like to use the most and replace 'em with nice high quality japanese steel.This will fill the gaps of everything else.Recommend if you want a complete set that's not super trash.

I'm a a begginer so I probably went a little overboard whit the tool set I choosed for there are more than a few tools thar are way over my skill set to use just now.Having said that I've got a timely delivery;as for the tools themselves, they have a sturdy look and the ones I've already used worked just fine.I even wrote to the supplier with a couple of questions and they answered right back.So, button line, if you are in an intermediate level this set it's definitively for you; if you are a beginner like me, you could go by with a simpler tool set from the same supplier.Good luck

These tools on other sites are far more expensive from what I found. For instance- the same rake, root hook, one of the pairs of scissors and a concave cutter retails for $80! These are high quality tools and great for the beginner or intermediate bonsai gardeners. They'd probably even work for an expert, but many experts invest in Joshua Roth tools, but those are substantially more expensive. So if you are a beginner looking for a kit or an intermediate bonsai gardener, I feel as though these tools are a fantastic buy! I'm extremely happy with this tool set and I would suggest it to anyone who is interested in bonsai! (or even just gardeners)

Two scisssors items have some "wobble" in them at the rivit point. The blades seem to meet and have some tension on thembut I'm accustomed to scissors not having wobble, or at least a screw so I can tighten them rather than a rivit.Otherwise, fine. At this point.

Generally I read lots of reviews before I order something to make sure I am ordering a product that will meet my needs. Unfortunately reading reviews didn't help on this one. I should have listened to the negative reviews. I just printed out my return label.The tools are junk. The first tool I opened appeared to be chipped and burned on the ends of the shear. The second tool I came across appeared to have already been opened (and returned?). The only consistency in the product is the general lack of quality. The hinges are way too tight and blades don't line up. It's easy to tell that there was no care at all in the manufacturing process.Save your hard earned money. Order one or two quality tools instead of this junk.I gave it 2 stars because you get so much bad it's almost good.

I think this set is worth $80 with prime. It has plenty of tools and they feel nice and durable. I know it isn't professional tools but if you take care of the tools after you use them they will last. It has all the essentials and I have been using them for about 2-3 months now. I would recommend this set if you are looking to take the next step in bonsai. Well worth what I paid and haven't had any problems.

I have to say that for the money I pay on this tool kit, it is a fantastic bargain. The tools are very sharp.If you can't spend a lot of money on a high end tools,then this is the Bonsai tool kit for you.The tools came well pack in individually plastic bags, and all of them together in a sturdy cardborad box.For the price and amount of tools that you'll get in this kit; I'm giving it a five stars!