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In order to give a mature aspect to a Bonsai tree, you should use several tips and tricks. Among others, there are splitting the bark with a knife or a pair of pliers. It is a lot more difficult when the wood itself need to be split or cut.
In order to apply any of these techniques, you should have a lot of experience and good knowledge of Bonsai tree growing.
One important element to be known is that the bark of a branch should not be completely removed. You still need some in order to give the branches the required nutritional substances. If the branches should not live anymore, then it is a different situation. You should then remove all the bark and carve the branch with a knife. Removing the bark is easy, but carving requires some experience. SO, our advice: first of all, experiment carving on a simple piece of wood.
The ideal material for artificial ageing techniques is represented by trees like junipers, firs or pines, which do not rust out. Still, you can try them on deciduous trees, either.
Before applying these techniques, you should take your time and observe the wild trees in nature. The trees in hard climate are natural examples to be followed and used. The lightning-stricken trees, those blown by the winds or those that were dried out by the drought look great, either.
Before starting work, you should get yourself the necessary tools and accessories. This means, usually, the following: carving knives, bark removal pliers (Jin pliers), a pair of concave pliers, impregnated Jin sandpaper for wood whitening.
There are some more electrical tools that would ease your work, either. Still, they are quite difficult to use sometimes because doing everything faster sometimes makes you lose of sight the artistic point of view. The beginners are especially advised to use manual tools in order to proper learn the techniques. In time, you will learn which are the electrical tools that will best suit you.
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