Ultra high quality bonsai scissors using the highest quality Japanese steel White Steel #1! I am almost certain that this is the only scissors using WS#1 for the steel. If there were any other scissors using WS#1 the price should at least be double probably triple of my retail price.

White steel #1 is a carbon steel (not an alloy) that is closest to the Tamahagane steel which is used to forge Japanese swords. It has the highest carbon content among Japanese high quality steel, which yields super keen edge when sharpened properly. WS#1 is very difficult to forge because of it's high carbon content and purity, not many blacksmiths can handle it. It is rarely used for tools and basically almost never for Bonsai scissors. Blue #1, #2 (Alloy steel), White #2 (softer than WS#1), Yellow #2 is the most common.

Most of the super expensive Bonsai scissors (Kuniharu is from $400 in Japan) are expensive not because of the quality of the steel, but the super neat finish (kurozome = black dye) which takes lots of time and effort. Although this scissors uses the highest quality steel, it is not as expensive because the finish is not the most expensive kurozome finish but more standard black finish. So just because it is not as expensive as the most expensive scissors, please do not think that it doesn't cut as well. It is rather the opposite, since none of the most expensive scissors use WS#1 (most super expensive scissors use alloy steel Blue Steel #1, which lasts longer but does not get as sharp as WS#1) this scissors will cut more than any other scissors. When it comes to sharpness, White Steel #1 cannot be surpassed.

Also, I am quite certain this is the only scissors that has back hollow on the back of the blade (please see the photo in the Larger Photos page). The back hollow allows the blade to slide smoother (the sap does not get trapped between the blades), and also makes it much much easier when you resharpen, since there is less surface of very hard steel touching the stone. This idea can only be applied to scissors because Heiji is a tool blacksmith.

Nakaya Heiji (Takeyoshi Yoshifumi) is by far the best modern saw blacksmith (he makes various tools apart from saws as well), who forges his saws fully traditional way. His saw's price is amazingly expensive (from $500) but there is a good reason for it. His master is the renowned Japanese razor maker Iwasaki Shigeyoshi.

The small size Bonsai scissors (shown here) is my specially ordered version to suit smaller hands, or to work with smaller bonsais. Larger size (standard size) can be ordered as well.

Probably the only Bonsai scissors that has back hollows on the back of the blade.

Measurements. The blue print is from when I placed the order to Heiji.

Teuchi Heiji-saku (Hand made by Heiji)