What bonsai tools are indispensable, and not easily faked/substituted?
Hi. I'm a newbie. Not entirely new to the world of bonsai, but new to doing it for myself, and now no longer near a city with a bonsai shop to consult. What, IYO, are the cannot-do-without tools for bonsai growing and shaping, and in what order do I need them? What can I substitute with a cheaper a western tool that gives almost as good a result? What has no acceptable substitute?
Also, I have half a dozen 2 yo Oregon White Oak (Q. Garryana) seedlings that I grew with the idea of eventually bonsaiing them. They're in pots. Is there anything I should be doing now (the beginning of their third spring - they're still dormant) or is this a matter of just letting them grow?