ZenportZJ67 Replacment Omega Blade for Zenport ZJ67 Grafting Tool Gray

It's a well made tool that does what it says.It makes clean cuts and is comfortable to use.But after trying it on maybe 100 grafts , I find myself going back to the old fashioned grafting methods using a sharp knife. Most of my grafts have been hibiscus and bougainvillea. The little omega cut blades are still sharp as new. As others have noted, the shape of the cut is a U, not a true omega, and results in a less grabby graft than a true omega cut might.The old-style grafting methods have for me achieved better success rates with hibiscus and bougainvillea so far, upwards of 90-95% the regular way vs about 70% with the omega tool. But this could be just part of the learning process, though I found myself up to speed after about 15 conventional grafts.The short graft area that the tool creates is harder to hold for taping or rubber-banding than a longer graft done the old fashioned way. Sealing with grafting wax is done the same either way, but doesn't add to the strength. It just keeps the air out.I have compensated for the weakness of the short joints by using two shortened wooden toothpick on opposite sides of the graft and extending the tape at least 1/2" past the toothpicks at each end of the graft to seal it before waxing. The toothpick reinforced grafts have been slightly more successful than the plain ones.The longer old-style grafts expose more shared cambian layer area of the root stock and the scion, up to 1" long of contact area vs 1/4" or so with this tool. This may be part of the reason I have better success with old-fashioned grafts. But there could be other reasons.The old-fashioned grafts seem to be stronger and less susceptible to pull apart or be damaged or bent by bumping and other contact. It's also faster (at least for me) to graft the old way.This tool works with stock in a limited size range, limiting stock to fairly small material, whereas regular grafts can use larger root stock material and scion material of almost any size.That said, I intend to keep on trying to see whether there are specific circumstances in which it works better than old-style grafting.I will try the Omega tool on at least 25 grafts per month on a variety of plants. It takes sometimes month or two to see the results of some of the grafts.I would love to hear from people who have found especially successful uses for this tool or plants that it is uniquely suited to.I can't imagine that anyone would go through all the trouble to create this well made tool were it not especially useful.

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