Aldi chisels

[Brad Roof]

I picked up a set of the Aldi work zone chisels last week and worked them up quickly. Most of the backs had a slight hallow so that was nice.....I used 150 grit sand paper for flattening the backs...from there I used a standard process of a soft oil stone, hard black, and MDF strop with green compound. It says chrome vanadium steel and it was easy to get a wire edge on the stones.....the edge was as good as anything I have on my narex chisles and the shape and feel is very similar as well.....for 7.00 they are an unbelievably cheap set that seems like they would work great....I am going to give this one away as a gift but I have one more that I might keep as an experiment...anyone else get a set this last week in the USA?

[Judson Green]

I look from em on occasion (cuz of Paul Sellers mention) but have never seen em. Plan to do some groc shopping tomorrow so I'll look again. Might be nice to have a set of nice throw about chisels.

[Brad Roof]

This is the first time I have seen them in my area. They are in the same box with files so you might need to "dig" to find a set. They have nice wooden handles....they are all metric sizes....the only down side I see is the smallest size is slightly bigger than 1/4 inch....I use my 1/4 inch chisel all the time...otherwise...seems like a nice set....I think these are nicer than some of the other cheap solutions out there....obviously they are hard to find here so I still would recommend the Narex ones in general.... I have never had a fancy one or a vintage one that is really nice...so my comparison is all in this entry level space...

[Jim Matthews]

There's a cheapo set available at Box Lot stores.

Soft steel which hones to a very keen edge,
prone to deformation when honed finer than 30 degrees or so.

Not bad for $8.

[Don Rogers]

Last week, Paul Sellers again brought up the Aldi chisel set and said that they would become available in some US Aldi stores. He recommended them saying he had used them in his classes for the past 4 or 5 years with no problems . He is not particularly fond of the handle shape and has a blog detailing how to rework the original handle to a slimmer version. It''s not that they are as good as more expensive brands, but for the price, they are a very good deal - especially for beginners.

I have the Narex bench, mortise and paring chisel sets, but quickly located the nearest Aldi and (last Friday) bought a chisel set and also a 6 pc file set. Each set was $6.99. Aldi's had a large box full of the chisel sets and another box full of the file sets. They were fairly sharp, just like most other new chisels, but I flattened the backs (about 2 min. each) and then sharpened them. After a quick try, the chisels performed very well.

On Sunday, I decided to buy two more chisel sets for my sons. Aldi's had only one chisel set left and about 4 file sets. Purchased one of each and my one son sharpened his chisels Sunday afternoon. They looked and performed as well as my first set. Don't have anything to report on the file sets but all files felt sharp.

Of course. time will tell just how good the chisels and files are .

There is no country of origin on the packaging bot Pau Sellers thinks they were ,\made in Germany.

Let me know what you think of the Aldi 4 pc chisel and 6 pc file sets.

Don

[Simon MacGowen]

Paul Sellers confirmed that the Aldi chisels (100 sets?) he has used are also made in China (not in Germany as some wondered). People seemed to be snapping up these chisels and reporting their finds on his blog. Too bad the stores are not located in out west.

$7 a set including a profit margin for the importer? Only a Chinese factory could produce goods at that kind of price.
Simon

[Alfred Kraemer]

I saw them next to another item of interest to me: a German schlosserhammer machinist's hammer. The hammer was also marked 'Meister' a label that has been around for decades. A good hardware store brand. The chisels -I think- may also be the same as those sold under the Meister brand in Germany. I took a look at the chisels: much the typical design of German chisels, although they are made in China. Regarding the hammer I was disappointed, the ad didnt specify the weight. The only size they sell is 500g, I was looking for one in the lighter 100 to 200 g range.

Alfred

[Evan Ryan]

I just bought the aldi workforce chisels. Package says "made in China," and the chisels are marked "chrome vanadium."

[Robert Flowers]

Picked up a set today "made in China " when I got home found a 1/16" nick on 1/4" 😠 will grind it off this weekend and see how the steel holds up.
OK just got reminded that this Saturday is my anniversary so no shop time this weekend. Maybe next weekend.

[Lonnie Gallaher]

I just read in the paper today that Aldi will be opening 40 plus stores in Southern California.

[steven c newman]

Just picked up a set of these today. Might check them out a little better in a few days. Handles are a bit different to me, as I'm more of a round handle type of user. We'll see how they do.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Has been threads on most woodworking forums, since Paul Sellers endorsed them as good & cheap.

My question: has anyone removed the stock handle and if so, what does the tang look like? If anyone is currently re-handling an Aldo, can you post a pic of the chisel with the handle removed?

Thanks!

[steven c newman]

So far, no nicks in the edges. They do have a burr/wire edge on the bevel's edge. Should be easy enough to polish it off. About the amount I spent on a Muller 22 chisel....

May give them a try-out this weekend, if the water going across the shop floor will just go away.....otherwise, I may have to go help an old guy build an Ark.......

[Johan Gustavsson]

Has been threads on most woodworking forums, since Paul Sellers endorsed them as good & cheap.

My question: has anyone removed the stock handle and if so, what does the tang look like? If anyone is currently re-handling an Aldo, can you post a pic of the chisel with the handle removed?

Thanks!

Take a look at Paul's blog, he made a post about changing the shape of the handle. https://paulsellers.com/2014/12/changing-the-shape-of-ash-chisel-handles/

[Matt Radtke]

My question: has anyone removed the stock handle and if so, what does the tang look like? If anyone is currently re-handling an Aldo, can you post a pic of the chisel with the handle removed?


I popped the handled off and it's a simple, square-ish tang. I didn't take a picture, but whipping up a new handle was trivial. I had some maple on hand and drilled a hole in one shot slightly smaller than the tang. Beat it on with a mallet and it worked fine.

I did lend it out--a perfect use for these chisels, but I'm told it did the job just fine.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I stopped at the local Aldi's. No chisels, but I did come away with a great deal on a 10 pound bundle of kale.

[ian maybury]

I have to say that Aldi (and Lidl - the other fairly similar German chain that does arguably better power tools e.g. my compressor on special deals) have transformed the grocery/supermarket business here. We were being worked over by a cartel/colluding small group of Irish and UK supermarkets - prices were staying very high and quality low compared to Europe. Something which often happens - our markets are rarely big enough to support more than a few big players, and they inevitably choose not to compete.

Not only are the two German outfits very cost competitive, their product quality (while perhaps not the familiar brands) tends to be very significantly better too...

[Tom Stenzel]

Back in the '80s I bought a set of 3 black plastic handled Stanley chisels from Kmart. Until yesterday those chisels have been my go to chisels, except for the one I made that was smaller than 1/2". I've been able to sit out the discussions about wood handles on chisels coming loose in low humidity because, well, I didn't have any wood handled chisels. Now I have a set of the Aldi chisels, a Father's day gift I bought for me.

They seem OK so far. It would have been nice if the smallest chisel was close to or just a bit narrower than 1/4". I measured the 4 chisels and this is what I came up with on the set I bought:

Marked Found Inches
8mm 7.66mm .300"
12mm 11.92mm .469"
18mm 17.86mm .700"
24mm 23.8mm .93"

Hope this helps someone thinking of hunting down a set. All in all they look like a decent addition to my tools.

-Tom

[Mike Brady]

I found the Aldi chisels yesterday reduced in price to $4.99 for the set of 4. This store ( Geneva, IL) had a few sets left. Bought some as a curiosity and they took an edge well. It remains to be seen if they can hold an edge. Certainly can go into the tool box, if nothing else. I would add that these are not badly made at all. The other tools in the "WorkForce" section, such as tape measures, also looked as good as comparable Stanley products.

[steven c newman]

The set I bought was fairly easy to flatten and sharpen up. Made a Curly Maple Lap Desk, using these chisels. Stopped dados, and dovetails. Never had a problem with them. These may be my "Go to" chisels from now on...

[Maurice Ungaro]

Ok, ok….I relented and went to Aldi. Found the last pack o' chisels there, and for a reduced price of $4.99! Hey, a buck and a quarter per chisel? Why not. Still have my old Marples Blue chips, made in Sheffield, which were my starter chisels and now are more outdoor project chisels, but these Aldi's may have a niche.

[Rob Matarazzo]

They are back in stock in the US Aldi stores right now, part of their Father's Day sale I believe. I picked up a set this morning for $6.99 because I couldn't resist. After tuning them up, them seem to work well, although I haven't done anything real with them yet.

[Stan Calow]

Thanks Rob. I will look for them. I have a digital caliper from Aldi's that I am very happy with.

[Stan Calow]

Thanks Rob. Don't need them, but now I will look for them. I have a digital caliper from Aldi's that I am very happy with.

[Mike Null]

I looked frequently for the chisels and finally, yesterday they had one set left. I scooped that up and will give them a try when time permits.

[Josh Nelson]

A friend of mine was looking for an inexpensive chisel set to get started (and get a Father's Day present in the process). I told him that it was too bad we didn't have an Aldi store near us. A phone call later and he has two sets headed our way. A free set for me if I will sharpen then for him.

[Glen Canaday]

I bought them last year, and got another set this year along with the files. This year's loot is still in the package ready for a new person to give them to.

They do not stay in stock near me. They come only once a year, and my wife picked them up maybe 3 days after they went into the store and snagged the very last set.

Last year I got them flattened and honed in under 30 seconds each. They are very easy to get going. I can't vouch for their longevity because I still, out of habit, grab the Stanleys I've had since 1993.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Has any one removed the handles, and if so, what did the tang look like? If I get a set to use as beaters, I would want to make wood handles!

[Josh Nelson]

@Tony, I plan to take the handles off of mine tonight. I went ahead and sharpened up one set and I'm impressed by the edge. And it took very little to get it to a serviceable flat. Granted its not flat all the way across the back but plenty enough for good work.

[steven c newman]

Been using mine for about a year,now.
.339628
Close up of one of the handles...

And, if you want....Paul Sellers even has a video out about how he modified the same chisels' handles...

[Charles Wiggins]

Saw them in my local Aldi, but passed them by as I already have a full set of Narex bevel edge and a couple of cheap ones from the BORG besides for outdoor projects.

[Tony Zaffuto]

The handles look like they could be planed into a nice, tapered octagon shape pretty easily. What is the handle made from? Looks like ash.

[steven c newman]

Seems to be Ash.....

[Mark Gibney]

Out of the two sets I bought earlier this month four of the handles look to be ash, one is oak, and three are some fine grained quite soft wood.

[Josh Nelson]

Well, they sharpen up well. Be warned if you are planning to remove the handles and reshape them a la' Sellers, be warned that there is a substantial glob of glue at the bottom of the tang.

[Gary Cunningham]

I bought a set. Just used them to chop a white oak handle so it fit a brass hammer head.
The edge chipped once (no surprise as I hit the head many times).
For the price, meh, they are good for the times you do not want to abuse good chisels.

[Rob Matarazzo]

I bought a set a few weeks ago. After tuning them up, they seemed to work very well. Since I don't yet have a home for them, they are just laying on my bench. Because of that, I have been using them pretty much exclusively, as they are just handy. I have to admit, I'm fairly impressed with them. I ended up buying a second set a week later that I may reshape the handles on. I'll keep the first set just as they are. The handles feel fine, although the flats on the handle are not necessarily parallel with the flats of the chisel.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Just picked up a set and sharpened them this afternoon. The biggest and smallest chisels both had some moderate nicks in the edge. The 3/4 size bevel was ground out of square to the sides, which is annoying.

On the plus side, the backs were a bit concave in the middle (not unlike Japanese chisels, though a i doubt it was intentional on the Aldi ones) so that made flattening the backs a breeze. They look to be fine for a set of extra / not critically accurate chisels. Plenty happy for $7. Haven't put them to work yet, though so no idea on true performance and longevity of the bevel.