Styling of a small spruce part 2

This is how the tre looked one week ago. It had been growing good the last 2 years so it was time to take it one step further. I could either repot it into a smaller pot or I could start the styling. I decided to start the styling.



The other side

The first step in the styling was to work on the dead wood. Old spruces like this one has extrenmly hard deadwood. Its close to impossible to shape it with hand tools. I have broken a few concave cutters trying to do that in the past. For the 'block carving' I use a tool called 'the terrier' (www.kaizenbonsai.com)


For the more detaled carving I use various small bits including different 'termites' and sanding weels. All from kaizen bonsai. In the end I use a blow torch to burn the wood and then I brush off the ash. I don't treat the wood on spruces with any kind of wood preserver. It's very hard and the burning makes it even harder . It develops a very nice silver patina within a years time all by it self. I will retur to work more on the deadwood in a years time when I see how it has developed.