Branch splitter
From BonsaiWIKI
branch splitter - a bonsai tool used to divide branches or trunk to allow them to be bent more easily.
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How to use branch splitters
A branch splitter is a cutting tool used to facilitate bending a trunk or branch by dividing its cross section into two (or more) parts. You can imagine a section of a large branch as a large cylinder, and consider trying to bend it: the outer area of the bend is under tension as it stretches during bending, and the inner area is under compression. You're trying to force the fibres together on the tight inner radius of the bend, and that doesn't work very well!
What the branch splitter does is divide that large cross-section into two narrow, semicircular sections, which are much easier to bend than the original branch! Available in different sizes, branch splitters also make useful tools for working with deadwood (Jin and Shari ) on the trunks and branches of your bonsai .
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mark the line
To divide the branch, take a felt marker and mark a dashed line where you intend to make the bend. Mark two lines on opposite sides of the trunk or branch where you want to make the bend. Each line should begin about one trunk diameter before the area that should bend and extend the lines about 1 diameter beyond where you want the bend to stop, on opposite sides of the trunk.
2. Split the branch
The next step is to divide the branch or trunk using the branch splitter. Do not drive the splitter all the way through the branch the first time. It could split in an unintended direction. Instead, work your way along the length of the branch, a little bit at a time at perhaps 1/3 the branch depth on the first pass. Then backtrack and go 1/2 way through, then finally all the way. The lines are your guides, and you should keep the cutting edges of the tool right on top of them. You are cutting through the branch, but it will not interrupt the tree's ability to translocate moisture and nutrients through its vacular system.
3. Bend the branch
Now that you have split the branch, you'll find it much easier to bend. After dividing it, you may proceed to wire and bend the branch, or a branch bender can be applied. Branch benders are available in a few sizes to accommodate different size branches and trunks.
