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  • Bonsai Scissors: What 40 mm and 60 mm Actually Mean

    The short answer

    On bonsai scissors, 40 mm and 60 mm describe the blade, not the tool. Both sizes usually sit on a handle around six inches long. The longer blade gives you reach and a longer drawing cut; the shorter one gives you control in crowded growth. Blade length is about access, not cutting power.

    Almost every pair of grow-shop bonsai scissors is sold with a number in the title — 40 mm, 60 mm, sometimes 50 mm — and almost none of them explain what the number refers to. Buyers reasonably assume it is the size of the tool, or the thickness of stem it can handle. It is neither.

    What does 40 mm or 60 mm mean on bonsai scissors?

    It is the length of the cutting edge. A pair described as 40 mm has roughly 40 mm — about an inch and a half — of sharpened blade ahead of the pivot. The handles, the loops and the overall length are broadly the same on both; Hydrofarm lists its 40 mm shears at 9.3 inches long in the package, and most tools in this class are six inches or so in the hand.

    This is worth separating from the way traditional bonsai scissors are sized. Specialist bonsai retailers describe their scissors by overall length, typically 120 mm to 200 mm, where a smaller tool means finer control and a longer one means reach into inner branches. The grow-shop convention is different: the tool stays the same size and only the blade changes.

    Does a longer blade cut thicker stems?

    No, and this is the most common misreading of the number. On any scissor, the force you can apply is greatest closest to the pivot and weakest at the tip. A 60 mm blade does not add leverage — it adds 20 mm of edge further from the pivot, which is the weakest part of the cut. The thickest thing either pair will take is whatever you can seat right back against the pivot, and that is governed by the steel and the joint, not the length of the edge.

    What the extra length actually buys you is a longer stroke and better access. You can draw a 60 mm blade through a soft stem in one pass instead of two, and you can reach past leaves to get to the thing you meant to cut.

    Which blade length do you reach for?

    In practice the choice is set by how much room you have around the cut, not by the plant.

    SituationBladeWhy
    Deadheading, spent flower spikes60 mmOne clean draw instead of a chewed cut.
    Working inside a dense plant40 mmShort edge turns in tight space without catching neighbouring leaves.
    Seedlings, thinning, pinching tips40 mmYou are placing the tip precisely; a long edge is in the way.
    Reaching past foliage to a stem60 mmGets to the cut without you pushing leaves aside with the other hand.
    Roots, at the pot40 mmShort and stiff is easier to control at an awkward angle.
    Anything genuinely woodyNeitherUse a bypass pruner. Scissors of this class are for soft tissue.

    Is one pair enough, or do you want both?

    For bonsai specifically, most beginner guides say one pair of general-purpose scissors is enough to start, and that is fair advice for a single tree. It stops being the right answer as soon as you have a collection — for two reasons that have nothing to do with blade length.

    The first is access, covered above: if you own one blade you will eventually use it for a job it is wrong for, and a crushed cut heals slower than a clean one.

    The second is sanitation, and it is the stronger argument. Several plant diseases move mechanically — in sap, on a blade, from one plant to the next. Orchid growers deal with the sharpest version of this: two common orchid viruses travel exactly that way, there is no cure, and rubbing alcohol is not reliably effective against them. The routine that works is a second tool: one pair you keep clean for healthy plants, one you are willing to flame, soak or throw away after touching something you are unsure about. Owning two sizes and owning two tools turn out to be the same purchase.

    We wrote that up separately, with the testing behind it: sterilizing orchid cutting tools, and why alcohol is not enough.

    How the common options are configured

    Most bonsai shears in this category are sold as a single tool with one blade length, which is why the number in the title matters so much — you are picking one and living with it. A smaller number are sold as a pair. For comparison, as each is listed by its maker:

    ToolIn the boxBladeBuild
    Hydrofarm HGBS400One40 mmSurgical stainless steel
    CastleGreens micro-tip bonsai shearsOne40 mm straightStainless, anti-slip soft grip
    Yieldcropper bonsai scissorsTwo40 mm and 60 mm, one of eachStainless blade, looped stainless handle, ambidextrous

    Specifications as published by each manufacturer or in its product listing, checked October 2026. Configurations change; check the listing before you buy. We sell the third one.

    Both blade lengths, one purchase

    Our bonsai scissors ship as a pair — one 40 mm and one 60 mm — so you are not choosing a blade length at the checkout and discovering the answer later. Full specifications, care instructions and the sanitation routine are on the product page.

    See the bonsai scissors
    All grow guides

    Common questions

    Is 40 mm the blade length or the cutting capacity?

    The blade length — the sharpened edge ahead of the pivot. It is not a maximum stem thickness, and two tools with the same blade length can handle very different cuts depending on the steel and the joint.

    If I only buy one, which blade length should it be?

    40 mm, if the plants are small or crowded — seedlings, succulents, dense houseplants. 60 mm if you are mostly deadheading and cutting back spent growth on larger plants, where the longer stroke does the work.

    Are these the same thing as micro-tip snips?

    No. Micro-tip snips are spring-loaded, squeezed in the palm, and taper to a fine point for precision in one spot. Bonsai scissors are looped like scissors, have a longer straight edge, and are better for repeated cuts and for drawing through a stem.

    Does blade length change how I clean them?

    No. The routine is the same for both: clean the sap off before it dries, dry the blade fully, and oil the pivot. What changes the routine is what you cut, not the blade — anything you suspect is diseased calls for a dedicated tool rather than a wipe between plants.

    Related guides

    Sources: Hydrofarm product documentation for the HGBS400; manufacturer product listings for the comparison table; Miyagi Bonsai, Beginner’s Guide to Bonsai Scissors, for traditional bonsai scissor sizing and the one-pair-to-start recommendation. The leverage explanation is the ordinary mechanics of a pivoted blade, not a manufacturer claim. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Sterilizing orchid cutting tools: why alcohol is not enough

    The short answer

    Rubbing alcohol is fine for bacteria and fungi, but it does not reliably kill the two viruses that matter most to orchid growers. In a study of sixteen disinfectants, only three passed: 2% Virkon S, a 10% household bleach solution, and 20% non-fat dry milk. For most people the simplest safe answer is a fresh razor blade for every plant, or a flame.

    If you have ever read that wiping your snips with rubbing alcohol between plants is enough, that advice is not wrong — it is just answering a different question. Alcohol handles the bacteria and fungi that cause most garden disease. Orchids have a second problem that alcohol does not solve.

    What actually spreads between orchids?

    Two viruses do most of the damage: Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV) and Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV). Both spread mechanically — meaning they travel in sap, on a blade, from one plant to the next. There is no cure. An infected orchid stays infected, and the usual advice is to isolate or destroy it.

    That is why tool hygiene matters more with orchids than with almost anything else you grow. A single unsterilized cut can move a virus through a collection one plant at a time, and you may not see symptoms for a year.

    Why rubbing alcohol is not enough

    Viruses are not bacteria. The alcohol that reliably kills bacterial and fungal pathogens on pruning tools does not dependably inactivate CymMV or ORSV. Research comparing sixteen disinfectants found isopropanol largely ineffective against orchid viruses, alongside some other products commonly sold for the job.

    Three came out well enough to recommend, and they are the ones worth knowing:

    MethodStrengthThe catch
    Household bleach solution10% bleach, about 0.5% sodium hypochloriteBadly corrosive. Growers report tools rusting within a day. Rinse, dry and oil immediately.
    Virkon S2%Far gentler on steel, but you have to buy it and mix it.
    Non-fat dry milk20% solutionSounds odd, works, and is completely harmless to tools. Mix fresh.
    FlameUntil the blade glowsNo solution to second-guess, and it cauterizes the cut. Let it cool or you will scorch tissue.
    Fresh blade per plant—The cheapest certainty there is. Discard into a sharps container.
    Sources listed at the foot of this guide.

    So what should you actually do?

    It depends how much you have to lose. For a few windowsill orchids, a fresh razor blade for each plant is cheaper than any disinfectant and leaves nothing to doubt. For a collection, a torch is faster than soaking and does not eat your tools.

    The one thing worth avoiding is the middle ground: one pair of snips, a quick wipe of alcohol, and a false sense of safety. That is the routine that moves virus through a collection.

    If you do use bleach

    It will attack stainless steel. Do not soak a good pair of snips in it and walk away. Rinse in clean water, dry completely, and put a drop of light oil on the pivot the same day. Better still, keep one cheap blade for anything you suspect and leave your good tools out of it.

    Where to cut a spent flower spike

    On a Phalaenopsis, a spike that has finished flowering but is still green can be cut back to a node an inch or so above the lowest one, and it will often branch and flower again from there. A spike that has gone brown and dry is finished — take it off at the base. A yellowing spike is on its way out; cutting it at the base lets the plant put its energy into leaves and roots instead.

    Roots are simpler. Firm and silvery-green means alive, leave it alone even if it is wandering out of the pot. Brown, flat and hollow means dead, and it can come off at the point where it meets healthy tissue.

    What to cut with

    The useful qualities are narrow tips that fit between crowded roots, blades short enough to control inside a pot, and a handle you can hold steady at an awkward angle. That is precision work rather than force — orchid spikes and roots are soft, and a clean cut heals better than a crushed one.

    A two-tool habit also helps: one pair you keep clean for healthy plants, one blade you are willing to throw away or torch after anything questionable.

    Tools that suit this work

    Our bonsai scissors come as a pair in two blade lengths — the shorter one for tight work between roots, the longer for spikes — which also makes it easy to keep one clean and one for suspect plants. The micro-tip snips are the finer option if you mostly cut spikes.

    Bonsai scissors, two sizes
    Micro-tip snips

    No tool prevents virus on its own. What prevents it is what you do between plants.

    Want this as a card for the bench?

    One printable page: which disinfectants actually work on orchid virus and which do not, at what strength, plus where to cut a spike depending on its color. Pin it where you repot.

      Common questions

      Does rubbing alcohol disinfect orchid cutting tools?

      Not against the viruses that matter. Alcohol is effective against bacterial and fungal pathogens, which is why it is the standard advice for general pruning. Testing against orchid viruses found isopropanol largely ineffective. Use a 10% bleach solution, 2% Virkon S, 20% non-fat dry milk, a flame, or a fresh blade.

      How long do I need to leave tools in the disinfectant?

      The published two-step protocol uses a minimum of five minutes per stage with a rinse in between. That is longer than most people expect, and it is the reason a fresh blade or a torch is more practical for anyone with more than a few plants.

      Will bleach damage my scissors?

      Yes. Growers report tools rusting within a day of a bleach soak. If you use it, rinse in clean water, dry the blades completely and oil the pivot the same day — or keep a cheap dedicated blade for suspect plants and leave your good snips out of it.

      Can I cut a flower spike to make it bloom again?

      On a Phalaenopsis, often yes. If the spike is still green, cut back to a node an inch or so above the lowest one and it may branch and flower from there. If it has gone brown, it is done — remove it at the base.

      Sources

      • Sue Bottom, Orchid Hygiene, St. Augustine Orchid Society — citing Li et al.’s comparison of sixteen disinfectants, of which three were recommended.
      • A&E Orchids, Getting to 100%: a two step method for orchid virus disinfection (CymMV, ORSV).
      • University of Minnesota Extension and Iowa State University Extension, on cleaning and disinfecting garden tools — the source of the standard alcohol guidance for bacteria and fungi.

      Related guides

    • Why the trimming tray keeps going out of stock

      Last updated: September 2026

      TL;DR: The question we get more than any other isn’t about blade steel or spring tension. It’s why the trimming tray is out of stock again. The answer has nothing to do with demand and everything to do with how a small brand tracks orders, suppliers, and reorder timing. For most of our first years that tracking lived in a spreadsheet, and a spreadsheet can tell you what happened but not what’s about to.

      • Yieldcropper has made precision cutting tools since 2015 and sells mostly through Amazon.
      • A stockout is almost never a sudden spike in orders. It’s a reorder decision that was made too late, usually months earlier.
      • Supplier lead time is the single number that governs everything else in a small hardware brand.
      • Spreadsheets break down at the point where sales data, supplier status, and cash timing need to be read together.
      • We now plan restocks off lead time and weeks-of-cover rather than off whatever the current inventory number says.

      Most of what we publish here is about using the tools. Trimming technique, drying, curing, keeping blades from gumming up halfway through a harvest. This one is about the other side of it, because a fair number of you have emailed to ask some version of the same question and the real answer is more interesting than “supply chain issues.”

      Why does the trimming tray keep going out of stock?

      Because we ordered it too late, and by the time we knew we needed it, the lead time had already eaten the window.

      That’s the whole thing. It isn’t a demand surge. Tray sales are steady and fairly predictable. What happens is that the reorder trigger for a slower-moving item gets missed while attention is on the shears, and by the time someone notices the count is low, the replacement stock is still weeks out from a supplier who needs their own runway.

      Small brands are bad at this in a specific way. You have enough products that you can’t hold all of them in your head, and not enough volume to justify anyone whose full-time job is watching them.

      What does the back office of a small tool brand actually involve?

      Four things that have to be read together, and mostly aren’t.

      There’s sales data, which for us lives in Amazon Seller Central. There’s inventory, which is a number that’s always slightly wrong because of returns, damaged units, and the lag between a sale and a shipment. There’s the supplier side, which is a set of open POs at different stages with different people who answer email at different speeds. And there’s cash, because the reorder you should place is sometimes not the reorder you can currently afford.

      Any one of those is easy to look at. The decision you actually need to make lives in the overlap. Do I place this order now, at this quantity, given what’s already in transit and what’s committed elsewhere. That question is the job, and it’s the one no single dashboard was answering for us.

      Why spreadsheets stop working around year two

      A spreadsheet is a record of what happened. It’s very good at that. Ours has been useful and I’m not going to pretend we’ve abandoned it.

      What it can’t do is tell you something you didn’t already think to ask. It won’t surface that a product is going to run out in five weeks against a supplier who needs eight. It won’t flag that you have an open PO nobody has confirmed in a month. It doesn’t know anything, it just holds what you typed. Every warning has to come from a human remembering to look, and the whole failure mode of a small operation is that nobody remembers to look at the slow-moving tray.

      The other problem is that the spreadsheet drifts. Two versions, one on a laptop, one shared, and by the time you notice they disagree you don’t trust either.

      What we look for in an operations system

      The honest answer is that we’re still working this out, and I’d rather say that than pretend we found a tidy solution.

      What we’ve settled on as criteria: it has to connect the sale to the reorder to the payment without asking us to retype anything, it has to push information at us rather than wait to be queried, and it has to be usable by someone who is also packing boxes that afternoon. Most inventory software fails the last one. It’s built for a warehouse team, and a warehouse team is a thing we do not have.

      There’s a newer category of tools built for the founder running all of it rather than for a department. ROIGPT is one of them, organized around the handoffs rather than around the modules, so the pipeline, the invoicing, and the fulfillment side sit in the same place instead of in four tabs. We came across it while looking at options in this space. Whether it’s the right fit for a brand our size is something we’re still evaluating, but the framing is closer to how the work actually feels than most of what’s marketed at ecommerce sellers.

      If you run a small product business and have solved this properly, I’d like to hear how. Genuinely. The answer so far seems to be that everyone is improvising.

      What this means if you’re waiting on a tray

      Practically, the change is that we plan restocks against supplier lead time rather than against the current count. That means placing an order while the shelf still looks fine, which feels wrong every time and is correct every time. On the slower items we’ve moved toward fewer and larger orders, which ties up more cash but produces fewer gaps.

      If a stockout has cost you a harvest window, the bonsai scissors handle most of what the tray does for trimming, minus the containment. Not a perfect substitute. Better than waiting.

      Frequently asked questions

      Why is the Yieldcropper trimming tray out of stock so often?

      Reorder timing rather than demand. Tray sales are steady, but it’s a slower-moving item than the shears, so its reorder point gets noticed late. Once the count is low, supplier lead time means replacement stock is already several weeks out.

      How long does a restock usually take?

      It depends on where the order sits with the supplier when we place it. Once stock reaches our fulfillment channel it’s available within a few days. The long part is production and transit, not listing it.

      Does Yieldcropper sell anywhere besides Amazon?

      Amazon is our main channel. Product pages on this site link through to the current listings, and stock status there reflects what Amazon is showing.

      What software does a small ecommerce brand actually need?

      At minimum, something that connects sales data to inventory counts and to supplier orders. Most small brands start in spreadsheets and outgrow them once product count rises past what one person can track by memory. The gap is usually forecasting and alerting rather than record keeping.

      Why do small brands run out of stock more than large ones?

      Large sellers carry deeper safety stock and have staff whose job is watching reorder points. A small brand carries less cover and relies on someone noticing, so a slow-moving item can cross its reorder point unobserved. The gap is attention and cash, not forecasting skill.

      Is Yieldcropper a large company?

      No. We’ve been making precision cutting tools in Seattle since 2015 and remain a small operation, which is the reason this article exists.