Aldis chisels

[Jerome Stanek]

Has anyone here bought the chisels from Aldis

[Brian Nguyen]

I bought two sets last year, honed them up to try out. Haven't touch them since. They're overrated in performance but I guess the low price is right.
That said, I went to the local Aldi's yesterday to find a set to compare to last year--maybe it's somehow "improved". Alas, the store didn't have any in stock.

[Stan Calow]

They rotate their stuff in the stores seasonally so you never know when they'll be there. I bought a set last year and use them for rough work. They are a good value, but not a substitute for high quality chisels. But for me, they are OK.

[Zach Dillinger]

I have a couple sets that I use for rough tasks and operations that might damage one of my pride and joy Butchers. They seem to hold up OK in rough use.

[steven c newman]

Have two set...one more for chopping..the other is set up for paring. One set is almost 3 years old, the other is almost 2. Been in use since I bought them. A quick hone now and then, ready to go.

[michael langman]

The Aldis in my area had the chisels for sale yesterday. Picked up my second set to make some skew chisels like Mike did in the past.

[Pat Barry]

Has anyone here bought the chisels from Aldis
Oh brother!

[Jim Koepke]

When they open a store in my area, maybe they will get a test drive.

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

Bought two sets yesterday. Opened one and flattened the backs (about an hour in total, had to use coarse DMT). Did not work the bevels. Took the largest (.940") and the next to narrowest (about .320) to my plant to check the hardhess. Widest chisel test at 57 HRc and the other at 54 HRc. Hardness was check on a computerized Rockwell hardness tester, calibrated just last week by outside vendor (I have two Rockwell testers).

If you look at a Grizzly catalog, these chisels are identical to the Grizz Steelex brand, but at less than 1/4th the cost. The Aldi's are a bargain at $6.99/set, perfect for a tool box or roughing set. Two of the four have side lands that are thin enough to wiggle into tight dovetail clean-ups.

[phil harold]

The Aldis in my area had the chisels for sale yesterday. Picked up my second set to make some skew chisels like Mike did in the past.
Could you expound on that ?
I would like to make some skew chisels!

[michael langman]

Hi Phil, I am going to take the chisel and cut the tip off at a 15degree angle for a right handed user with a Dremel and cutoff tool. Meaning the tip of the chisel will be leading in the upper left side of the tip. Then regrind the bevel back onto the tip . to follow the tip. I will keep the sharpened angle at about 22 degrees for paring.
I will use these chisels for cleaning out corners in dovetails and mortices. On my nest set I buy I will make some left handed chisels to go with the right handed set.
A fellow on the site Mike Brady, made a short video on how he did his chisels the same way.

[Jim Koepke]

I am going to take the chisel and cut the tip off at a 15degree angle for a right handed user with a Dremel and cutoff tool. Meaning the tip of the chisel will be leading in the upper left side of the tip. Then regrind the bevel back onto the tip .

You might find it easier to use your grinder with the blade held at an angle to the axis of the wheel to shape a new bevel than to cut the tip with a Dremel.

jtk

[michael langman]

I may do that Jim. Appreciate the tip.:)

[John C Cox]

I got a set and am not impressed.

Knowing what I know now.... Skip them.

[James Waldron]

RED ALERT!

Just read a blurb from Paul Sellers that Aldi has changed their chisels, and not for the better. He reports that they may be okay for some roughing carpentry but not for finer work. They have plastic handles now, too.

Here's a quote from Sellers blog:


"My wooden handled Aldis are refined to a level I like and they have been truly well proven at my bench over the best part of a decade to date. There is nothing snobby or pretentious about them and I am hoping that Aldi will recant and restock periodically with them as in past years and not consider the ugly plastic handled versions above as a legitimate replacement for the better. Steel capped, they may work for some in the construction trades,but for the amateur they are far from appropriate. I say that without wishing to offend anyone. By that I mean some chisels will be used for hacking out pressed fibreboard and MDF mouldings amidst concrete and brick dust, places where I would not want my Marples chisels to be."


See https://paulsellers.com/2018/09/whats-a-chisel-worth/

[J. Greg Jones]

The Aldi chisels sold here in the US still have the wood handles.

[steven c newman]

Been using mine on that Project I am working on now...using Ash. Only "trouble" so far....when one rolled off the bench and hit the floor.....

393439
Took a whopping three minutes, WHEW, to strop the damage away, and back to work...

Was unaware the Auburn Tool Co. planes could be bought at Harbor Freight Bit of a shame that I do NOT own any planes from Harbor Freight....am I missing out?

[Pat Barry]

I can't imagine these Aldi chisels being worse because of a plastic handle. Its probably an improvement for the basic work these are useful for.

[Warren Mickley]

I can't imagine these Aldi chisels being worse because of a plastic handle. Its probably an improvement for the basic work these are useful for.

I would rate the Aldi beech handle chisels higher than the Lee Valley or the Narex.

[steven c newman]

IF the main gripe about the latest chisels is those cheap plastic handles....you can always replace them with the wood ones you prefer.

[Pete Taran]

If you don't like the steel, you can always go to Minnesota and dig up some iron ore to make your own...

[Pat Barry]

I would rate the Aldi beech handle chisels higher than the Lee Valley or the Narex.
Yes, certainly. ROFL

[steven c newman]

Over on Sellers' site/blog..I left the same question about handle replacement.....since these are just tang chisels...At least those handles aren't Blue & Gray ( Kobalt) or Blue & Yellow plastic handles...look more like the ones Stanley used...

[Jessica de Boer]

Widest chisel test at 57 HRc and the other at 54 HRc.

I wonder why they passed QC when they weren't even hardened?

[Tony Zaffuto]

I wonder why they passed QC when they weren't even hardened?

At their price point, I doubt if QC is very robust! I believe Narex advertises their chiseld at HRc 58, which, in the greater scheme of Rockwell hardness, not much different than 57. Some premium makers don't even state Rockwell hardness levels.

For the price, if you get one really good one out of the four, then they're worth it (and three scrapers!). I'm lucky enough to have a very large number of chisels to choose from, and there are many (vintage and modern) I like. But there are also many (vintage and modern) that I hate. Chisels are very subjective to how they feel in your hand, and the ones that feel just right, are the ones I grab first.

[Simon MacGowen]

Yes, certainly. ROFL

The LV chisels are made in Japan, but I prefer wooden handles, and so passed a good deal when a fellow woodworker was selling his lightly used set at half price. The set left his hands in no time, but I am sure he would have sold his set at a higher price if the handles were all wood.

Simon

[Simon MacGowen]

Chisels are very subjective to how they feel in your hand, and the ones that feel just right, are the ones I grab first.

That is certainly true. How good an edge holds now matters not so much to me as the handle fit, the balance, and aesthetics. I can sharpen edges quickly free hand faster than Sellers' diamond stone method, and so all steels work for me, from O1 to PMV11 to Japanese chisel steel.

I have never used any Aldi chisels, but in my hands, I doubt they would make much difference in my chisel work -- paring or chopping.

Simon

[John C Cox]

My Aldi chisels were much better after I pulled the handles off and baked them for an hour at 475. It seemed to stabilize the edges. Before that - they would roll and roll and roll....

That said - the best use I have come up for them so far is to grind the edges at 90 degrees and use them as a flat nose/scraper chisel. It’s a super handy tool and not quite so sensitive to their less than perfect heat treatment of the steel.....

[steven c newman]

What a bloody waste....right now I am USING my Aldi's chisels in the current build blog....on Ash...the only time so far an edge has "rolled" was went one of the chisels was knocked off the bench....chisels seem to have a way of landing bevel first. 5 minutes to fix, back to work. These are the same chisels I pare a tenon with...by resting me beard cover chin on the end of the handle, sighting down the blade, and push with the chin...

I guess some need to learn more about HOW these chisels SHOULD used? Others decry these chisels..without ever having touched the items...Afraid someone else might see them actually holding them?

Well, they ARE cheap enough..if you wish to waste them, it be your $7...not mine.

[Jim Koepke]

I wonder why they passed QC when they weren't even hardened?

One of the misunderstandings people have about QC is that every finished piece is inspected and put through every test.

Quality Control departments use statistical sampling. It is easy for a few not up to standards items to slip through.

In some situations it is that the standards are merely guidelines and a lot of sub standard items go to market. After all, it is a set of four chisels for less than $2 each. Try shipping a pack of chisels across the globe for less than that.

jtk

[Pete Taran]

Steven,

You shouldn't have! I went out to get the mail and found these on my garage floor. I think I will use them for Christmas tree ornaments this year. Thank You!

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[Mike Brady]

He really means it...you shouldn't have! Let's see: 6 X $7 = $42. Just about enough to buy a real chisel. And by the way, I made the mistake of buying them too.

[Hasin Haroon]

Just for clarity, do you mean the Lee Valley plastic handled chisels, or the Veritas from Lee Valley? I struggle to see how these could be better than the Veritas.

[Pete Taran]

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Methinks yes!

[Mike Brady]

Just josh'n ya.

[Jim Koepke]

Just josh'n ya.

Is it well known about this phrase being born of a true tale including a file, nickels, a man named Josh who could neither hear or speak with a little gold tossed in?

1883 was an interesting year.

jtk

[Warren West]

For cheap current production chisels, I prefer the blue Irwins over the Aldi and that isn't sarcasm.

My local Aldi has the chisels in stock and they have wooden handles. Aldi much just be messin' with Paul :)

Good carving tools are $30 + per piece, I don't know why good chisels should be any different.

[Simon MacGowen]

Just for clarity, do you mean the Lee Valley plastic handled chisels, or the Veritas from Lee Valley? I struggle to see how these could be better than the Veritas.

The Aldi chisels better than the LV made in Japan yellow plastic handle chisels?

May be, may be not, because I have had no experience with the Aldi chisels. I found the yellow handle LV chisels reasonable in terms of honing and keeping their edges.

The Aldi chisels better than the PMV11 chisels?

Nonsense. Unless my Japanese saloon car can outrun a GranTurismo.

Simon

[Bill McNiel]

Is it well known about this phrase being born of a true tale including a file, nickels, a man named Josh who could neither hear or speak with a little gold tossed in?

1883 was an interesting year.

jtk

Jim- please elaborate.
thanks - Bill

[Warren Mickley]

The LV chisels have so many peculiar features one could write a chapter on it. Here are some notes on the handle. The handle is made of hard maple. The Aldi's are of beech. There is a reason why beech has been used for centuries for handles. Beech absorbs shock much better than hard maple. It is just a much better wood. Ash also absorbs shock and is also a traditional wood. For a guy who just screws around once in a while it doesn't make much difference, but for someone using a tool regularly there is a danger of overuse injury with a wood that transmits shock. Beech is less tiring, easier on joints tenons and such.

The LV designers thought it was important to have the chisel balance at the ferrule. This is not a traditional feature for chisels. A 1" chisel blade is nearly four times that of a 1/4 " chisel, but the handle is not nearly twice as big. So for narrow chisels (and carving tools), the balance point is in back of the bolster, and for wider chisels the balance point is in front of the bolster and the chisel rocks forward so the blade is on the bench. In order to contrive a balance point at the ferrule, LV people had to make the handle especially fat for wide chisels and beef up the thickness of the blade for narrow chisels. These are not good trade offs.

There are lots more things like this, but the main theme is that it is foolish to change a design without appreciating its sophistication and wisdom. In merely copying older chisels, the Chinese factory that makes the Aldi chisels avoids a lot of pitfalls.

[Jason Lester]

I have to disagree, I love the balance of the Veritas chisels and the handles feel great in my hands. I know it's kind of a personal thing, but your experience doesn't mirror mine. I use the Wood is Good mallet, so I don't notice the shock you mentioned either. My left hand definitely is less tired after using the Veritas versus my Narex ones.

[Tom Stenzel]

In case anyone is still interested the Garden City, MI Aldis had several packages of the chisels on their shelf Monday.

I bought a set two years ago and don't need more. They work OK for my needs. We were just out of coffee. And milk. And cheese. And I brought my daughter to help carry everything.

I still hate Aldis. When I go in right by the front door they have all the chocolate. Chocolate with almonds. With hazelnuts. White chocolate. Dark chocolate. Mmmmmmm. Those people are pure evil!

-Tom

[Bruce Haugen]

snip
I still hate Aldis. When I go in right by the front door they have all the chocolate. Chocolate with almonds. With hazelnuts. White chocolate. Dark chocolate. Mmmmmmm. Those people are pure evil!

-Tom

Also some varieties of trail mix I haven’t seen elsewhere that are really good.

[Seth Terndrup]

I always feel really satisfied when I buy a cheap tool that works reasonably well.

I limit my time on forums because half the advice is always the same (if anybody actually answers the question you ask in the first place rather than telling you the way you should do it instead) and that advice is always to buy more expensive tools. I’m human and can sucked into that mentality too, but I feel best and like my tools a lot better when I feel like I get a bargain and am not buying the hype.

If however you’re a pro or an established hobbiest, then you don’t need my advice.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim- please elaborate.
thanks - Bill

There are many different versions of the same story:

https://truewestmagazine.com/josh-tatums-con/

This one does not mention filing the reeding on the edge of the coins.

Supposedly the original falsified coins had reeding added with a file to more resemble the $5 gold coin. Many of these ended up destroyed by the U.S. Treasury Dept. Of course later there was a market for "racketeer nickels" sold to curiosity seekers and collectors. This caused a lot of the first edition of the 1883 Liberty nickels to be electroplated with a thin layer of gold and sold to collectors.

jtk

[John C Cox]

I bought a set of them a year ago. I used them a lot and don’t like the way they hold up. I ended up ruining the 1” chisel but I still have the other 3. They do sharpen and cut significantly better after an hour in the oven - that doubled their performance on wood.

I posted the results of my chisel tests here on the forum. Old vintage octagon bolster chisels outran Aldi chisels by approximately 4x the amount of wood cut before they were dull.... Two cherries chisels run about in the same range as the old ones - so it’s not like modern manufacturers can’t replicate the performance of those old tools if they want to....

Aldi chisels are what they are and I am fine with that..... I don’t need any more.


What a bloody waste....right now I am USING my Aldi's chisels in the current build blog....on Ash...the only time so far an edge has "rolled" was went one of the chisels was knocked off the bench....chisels seem to have a way of landing bevel first. 5 minutes to fix, back to work. These are the same chisels I pare a tenon with...by resting me beard cover chin on the end of the handle, sighting down the blade, and push with the chin...

I guess some need to learn more about HOW these chisels SHOULD used? Others decry these chisels..without ever having touched the items...Afraid someone else might see them actually holding them?

Well, they ARE cheap enough..if you wish to waste them, it be your $7...not mine.

[John C Cox]

Warren,

Do you own and use any Aldi chisels? My understanding is that you do most of your work with 17th and 18th century laminated chisels.....


The LV chisels have so many peculiar features one could write a chapter on it. Here are some notes on the handle. The handle is made of hard maple. The Aldi's are of beech. There is a reason why beech has been used for centuries for handles. Beech absorbs shock much better than hard maple. It is just a much better wood. Ash also absorbs shock and is also a traditional wood. For a guy who just screws around once in a while it doesn't make much difference, but for someone using a tool regularly there is a danger of overuse injury with a wood that transmits shock. Beech is less tiring, easier on joints tenons and such.

The LV designers thought it was important to have the chisel balance at the ferrule. This is not a traditional feature for chisels. A 1" chisel blade is nearly four times that of a 1/4 " chisel, but the handle is not nearly twice as big. So for narrow chisels (and carving tools), the balance point is in back of the bolster, and for wider chisels the balance point is in front of the bolster and the chisel rocks forward so the blade is on the bench. In order to contrive a balance point at the ferrule, LV people had to make the handle especially fat for wide chisels and beef up the thickness of the blade for narrow chisels. These are not good trade offs.

There are lots more things like this, but the main theme is that it is foolish to change a design without appreciating its sophistication and wisdom. In merely copying older chisels, the Chinese factory that makes the Aldi chisels avoids a lot of pitfalls.

[Bill McNiel]

There are many different versions of the same story:

https://truewestmagazine.com/josh-tatums-con/

This one does not mention filing the reeding on the edge of the coins.

Supposedly the original falsified coins had reeding added with a file to more resemble the $5 gold coin. Many of these ended up destroyed by the U.S. Treasury Dept. Of course later there was a market for "racketeer nickels" sold to curiosity seekers and collectors. This caused a lot of the first edition of the 1883 Liberty nickels to be electroplated with a thin layer of gold and sold to collectors.

jtk

Jim,
thanks for taking the time & effort to educate me. Much appreciated.
Regards - Bill

[Simon MacGowen]

The LV chisels have so many peculiar features one could write a chapter on it. Here are some notes on the handle. The handle is made of hard maple. The Aldi's are of beech. There is a reason why beech has been used for centuries for handles. Beech absorbs shock much better than hard maple. It is just a much better wood. Ash also absorbs shock and is also a traditional wood. For a guy who just screws around once in a while it doesn't make much difference, but for someone using a tool regularly there is a danger of overuse injury with a wood that transmits shock. Beech is less tiring, easier on joints tenons and such.

The LV designers thought it was important to have the chisel balance at the ferrule. This is not a traditional feature for chisels. A 1" chisel blade is nearly four times that of a 1/4 " chisel, but the handle is not nearly twice as big. So for narrow chisels (and carving tools), the balance point is in back of the bolster, and for wider chisels the balance point is in front of the bolster and the chisel rocks forward so the blade is on the bench. In order to contrive a balance point at the ferrule, LV people had to make the handle especially fat for wide chisels and beef up the thickness of the blade for narrow chisels. These are not good trade offs.

There are lots more things like this, but the main theme is that it is foolish to change a design without appreciating its sophistication and wisdom. In merely copying older chisels, the Chinese factory that makes the Aldi chisels avoids a lot of pitfalls.

I can't speak for those who pound chisels like a machine as a production woodworker to earn a living. I pound (not with a hammer, but with a maple mallet) or pare as an amateur woodworker, and my experience does not come anywhere close to the conclusions of your academic analysis about shock absorption or balance.

Your analysis which sounds good on paper gives me (serious) doubts about how much and for how long you have actually used a Veritas chisel. I have owned five of them (O1 and PMV11; 1/4" to 3/4") and have used them for dovetails, mortise & tenon, dados, rabbets, frame & panel, inlays, and hinge work, the typical applications for chisels.

I am bringing my car to a Maserati dealership for a trade and tell them mine is better than theirs. Or, I should get a dozen of the Aldi chisels and inquire with Veritas if we could swap....

Simon

[Warren Mickley]

Warren,

Do you own and use any Aldi chisels? My understanding is that you do most of your work with 17th and 18th century laminated chisels.....

I use cast steel chisels. I like English chisels that are around 180 years old; that is 19th century. There is a reasonable amount of stuff around from that period because the machine age came soon after. 18th century chisels are quite rare and I have only seen 17th century stuff in pictures. For some reason cast steel was hard to laminate when it was first produced in the 18th century. Unlike the chisels that predated them (or were contemporary to them), early cast steel chisels were not laminated. Later only the heavy cast steel carpenter's chisels were laminated.

I bought a set of Aldi chisels last week out of curiosity. They are patterned after the Hirsch/Kirschen/Two Cherries chisels and remind me of them in use. They do not have the annoying buffing or rounding over that Two Cherries people like to use. I have used worse chisels in my career.

The main things that bring down the price for the Aldis are large scale, like 50,000 or 100,000 chisels per month, drop forging, which on a large scale is much cheaper than machining, cheap labor, and lack of marketing, a big part of American companies. The Chinese make many brands in the same factory and the price of a thousand chisels ready for import is not much more than a thousand dollars.

[Steve H Graham]

I bought a set a while back. Today I bought three new Home Depot Buck chisels (yellow handles). I like Bucks because they're cheap, hard, and readily available. I decided to sharpen one of the Bucks and one of the Aldis.

The Buck was flat and dangerously sharp in about 10 minutes. It took very little effort to flatten the back enough to prepare the chisel for sharpening. It was nearly flat to start with.

The Aldi came with a distorted edge. Maybe someone at the factory dropped it. I worked on it for 15 minutes or so and decided to call it a day. Using a Diasharp X-coarse stone, I would say I got about a third of the way to an edge that was ready to sharpen. Flattening the back was not hard, but when I was done, the abrasion pattern was not as symmetrical as the Buck's, so the grind was not as even.

I'll bet it takes me 45 more minutes to get the Aldi ready.

The Aldi is softer than the Buck (just as Chinese Irwins are). You can scratch an Aldi with a Buck very easily, but it doesn't work the other way around. The softness of the steel prevents me from having any confidence in the Aldis. Of course I will give them a chance, but it's hard to see how a soft chisel can hold an edge as well as a hard one.

[Pat Barry]

I used my Aldi 3/4" chisel today to clean up some half laps after crosscutting much if the waste in two pressure treated 2x4s. It worked great to clean out 7 1/2 inchrs of waste on each of them so I could join them end to end to make a 15 1/2 foot 2x4. A little construction adhesive and a few coarse thread drywall screws and I was done. The Aldi's work great in jobs like this.

[Jim Koepke]

It has been my honor to receive a set of the famous (infamous?) Aldi chisels from another member.


The Aldi came with a distorted edge. Maybe someone at the factory dropped it.

All four chisels in the set sent to me had a wire edge. Not only that, some of them had nicked edges.

Here is one of them:

393697

Not much of my time was spent on flattening the backs more than getting rid of the deepest scratches. My tendency is to work on that over time. A few hours was spent on getting them into shape. A bit more time was used because the two largest chisels tended to roll or chip after the first few times sharpening. The edges seemed to settle down after repeated sharpening.

Here is a shot after trying to cut a thin strip of end grain pine:

393688

This was after the third sharpening. After a few more trips to the stones it settled down and started cutting the same piece without the drama.

The 'out of the box' grind is a bit rough:

393687

The large chisel on the right has had a quick interlude with an Arkansas stone at this shooting.

Look at the second chisel from the right. Notice the beveled edges are kind of catty wampus. More about my thoughts on this later. A close look at the left of the edge shows a bit of distortion, maybe different than what Steve mentioned. At this price point one shouldn't be surprised by such manufacturing variations. This added to the prep time since it had to be ground out. The steel in these tends to hang on more tenaciously to their wire edge when stropping.

The blades and handles were covered with a rough clear substance. It was removed using a little work with acetone. Without thinking this was rubbed over the handles. It removed not only the stamped on branding but removing the clear coat made the handles feel a lot better. An old rag saturated with furniture wax/polish was rubbed over the handles. Over all the handles are acceptable. They are a touch rough. They feel like they may have been tumble sanded in large batches.

If someone asked me to classify these as to type, my response would be general bench chisel. My first thought when seeing them up close is they look similar to the Bocho chisels that OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) started carrying before my set of Sandvik chisels was completed back in the late 1980s:

393689

The three Sandvik chisels in my accumulation still get to come out and do some work at times. They were my first new chisel purchases, one at a time was all my budget would allow.

These are bench chisels fully suited for chopping a mortise if one doesn't want to invest in a chisel specifically made for mortise chopping:

393690

Though if a person plans to chop a lot, nothing beats the monster:

393691

They take a decent edge. Shaving arm hair or wood they can hold their own:

393692

This is pine. The end grain has been pared smooth.

One place where they do not fit my style is in clearing waste from dovetails. Of course these can do the job. They are a bit clumsy with the tall side lands rubbing up against the sides of the tails. My preference is for almost no side land:

393693

On the top are Buck Brothers chisels from my paring chisels. On the bottom are the Aldi chisels. There is quite a bit of difference in the height of the lands between the associated sizes.

The chisels were marked with a size that may or may not be the same as was measured.

First is the 8mm/0.31", it measured 0.324". The lands measured 7/64". The bevel was at 30º. This one also has a slight bit of sloppiness where the metal meets wood. There is a bit of a gap between the bolster and the handle. There is also a blob of clear lacquer in the space.
Second is marked 13mm/0.51", it measured 0.521 (note this was changed after measuring again today). The lands measured with one less than 5/64" and the other a little larger. The factory bevel was 30º.
The third chisel is marked 18mm/0.71", it measured 0.722" ~18.5mm. The lands measured 1/16" on one side and 7/64" on the other. The factory bevel was 25º.
The last chisel is marked 24mm/0.94", it measured 0.941" right on the money. The lands measured 1/16" on one side and 5/64" on the other. The factory bevel was 25º.

For someone who wants an inexpensive set of chisels these will likely work fine for many uses.

The handles along with being less than finished do not match. They definitely do not carry the cache of premium or high quality chisels.

These are mass produced in Chinese factories were people do not earn what we would consider a great wage. The makers are not putting anything extra in the making of this product. My first thought on a way to cut cost was to forget the lacquer coating. Then it came to me this was necessary to keep the steel from rusting in shipping.

When a premium chisel is purchased the hoops and ferrules are likely of a more substantial material.
The bevels are likely better balanced.
The set up time will likely be considerably less.
If the chisels are made for paring they will have lower, and equal, side lands.
The metal and handles should be much better finished.
The sizing will likely be closer to what the label indicates.
For me, most of my wood still comes in inch sizes so the metric sizing isn't my choice. For many things it doesn't really matter.
For some folks a minimal set is fine. For myself, if chisels were readily available in 1/16" increments my accumulation would be larger.

So it really gets down to what a person wants in their shop. For inexpensive useable chisels in only a few sizes, the Aldi chisels can be a good deal. If you like something that feels like it belongs in your hand and can sneak into those tight corners, you will likely have to spend a lot more.

The Aldi chisels do seem to have a supply limitation and may be unavailable during the year. So if you want them, get them when you can.

jtk

[Vincent Tai]

Jim, a nice concise writeup. This should be a reference for the inevitable Aldi chisel threads to come.

"Frugalman's Macro Lens." That gave me a chuckle! In all seriousness, what is it that you are using? magnifying glass? Glass scrap? I really would like to have a frugal macro lens myself since I am limited to an iPhone 5s I inherited.

Thanks!

Vince

[Jessica de Boer]

I bought a set of Aldi chisels last week out of curiosity. They are patterned after the Hirsch/Kirschen/Two Cherries chisels and remind me of them in use. They do not have the annoying buffing or rounding over that Two Cherries people like to use.

Kirschen also makes them unpolished. These have crisp, sharp corners.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Had two Hirsch some 15 years ago, or so. Ne straight, the other cranked. Both were way over polished, including the lands, even rounded onto the face (flat side of bevel). Didn't want to sell them, but gave tem away, and stayed away from that brand and Two Cherries. Unpolished, they would have been excellent. Had an excellent feel to them, balanced nicely. Didn't really use the cranked chisel, but I did the straight. Not having the face flat to the sides was an issue (and having to wear sunglasses while using them).

Unpolished, I would definitely try one or two again.

[Jessica de Boer]

If I were to buy Western, factory made chisels it would be from MHG Messerschmidt. They have a "premium" line that's not too bad. The grinding is finer than the unpolished Kirschen and the flats on the sides are very small, about 1mm so you can get into very tight corners. The downside is that they use a high alloy steel, most likely a chrome vanadium of some sorts and I don't like that. I prefer a simple, pure carbon steel.

https://www.mhg-tools.de/en/news.html

Fine-tools in Germany sells them for a very reasonable price: https://www.fine-tools.com/mhg.html

[Frederick Skelly]

Good writeup Jim! I have mine at about a 20* bevel and they work fine for paring. I cut the silly hoops off the end and used a spoke shave to reshape them into what I liked. They aren't Ashley Iles by any stretch, but do everything I ask them to do. And for $7 I'm not afraid to experiment with bevel angles or customizing the handles.

[Simon MacGowen]

When a premium chisel is purchased the hoops and ferrules are likely of a more substantial material.
The bevels are likely better balanced.
The set up time will likely be considerably less.
If the chisels are made for paring they will have lower, and equal, side lands.
The metal and handles should be much better finished.
The sizing will likely be closer to what the label indicates.
For me, most of my wood still comes in inch sizes so the metric sizing isn't my choice. For many things it doesn't really matter.
For some folks a minimal set is fine. For myself, if chisels were readily available in 1/16 increments my accumulation would be larger.

So it really gets down to what a person wants in their shop. For inexpensive useable chisels in only a few sizes, the Aldi chisels can be a good deal. If you like something that feels like it belongs in your hand and can sneak into those tight corners, you will likely have to spend a lot more.


jtk

Jim,

You certainly did a better job than Sellers in demystifying the Aldi chisels.

The numerous discussions about the Aldi chisels here and elsewhere tell us one thing: The star power of Sellers!

Who would've imagined that these (previously) little known chisels that might have been sold in a dollar store setting would receive such interest as well as scrutiny among woodworkers, if not for Sellers's recommendation.

Simon

[steven c newman]

Hmmm. Been using mine for several YEARS, now.....Liked the first set well enough, that I bought the second set a while back. Both sets see a lot of use..not just in pine, but other hardwoods like Oak, and Ash.

Maybe it is in the way one USES these chisels? Beater chisels? I have an entire drawer of such "beater chisels" I could use for the "rougher" work. Could also just use an old wide screwdriver.

I treat my sets of the Aldi's AS real chisels....rather than treat them like junk. More interested in HOW a tool does it's job, than whose name happens to be on them. Anyone can print a name on anything, declare it the finest since sliced bread.

Handles? These fit my hands, that is all that counts, as for as a handle is concerned. If a handle doesn't fit the hand, or makes the hand hurt using it....it is either changed, or it is tossed into that drawer..

If one is afraid to use their "good" chisels to do a bit of honest work, and save the hard work for "lesser" chisels....what good is the "Good Chisel" for? looking pretty in a display rack? IF I get a tool in the shop, it is for doing the job....do I "LOVE" the tools? No..I have no intention of marrying a tool....I intend to put it to work, and make it earn it's keep....otherwise, why bother. I could just as well post a picture on a wall of "Pretty Tools"...have other things to do.

Simpson showed you how to use a file, to change a chisels lands to suit. For those that claim to grind the edges off to make a scraper....Odd Lots sells cheap lathe tools, you could even use the one in that set AS a scraper.....since that is how it was made.

Like I said, I have been USING my two sets for quite a while, now, have no need to buy any more, quite happy with what I have. I did used this year's $7 to buy hinges and handles for a project. YMMV.

There is also OLD Buck Brother chisels in the shop, a few Witherby, and even a Butcher or two. One of the Mortise chisels is from Japan. Another is labeled New Haven Edge Tool Co., and is my "go-to" for 1/4" mortises. So..IF you will excuse me...I have work to do....you all can have fun with this topic.....off my watch, now.

[Simon MacGowen]

If one is afraid to use their "good" chisels to do a bit of honest work, and save the hard work for "lesser" chisels....what good is the "Good Chisel" for? looking pretty in a display rack? IF I get a tool in the shop, it is for doing the job....do I "LOVE" the tools? No..I have no intention of marrying a tool....I intend to put it to work, and make it earn it's keep....otherwise, why bother. I could just as well post a picture on a wall of "Pretty Tools"...have other things to do.



+1 followed by 100 zeroes, or a googol.

I am also the guy in the neighborhood who loans his tools (most) for others to use.

Simon

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, a nice concise writeup. This should be a reference for the inevitable Aldi chisel threads to come.

"Frugalman's Macro Lens." That gave me a chuckle! In all seriousness, what is it that you are using? magnifying glass? Glass scrap? I really would like to have a frugal macro lens myself since I am limited to an iPhone 5s I inherited.

Thanks!

Vince

Thanks for the kind words Vincent. The lens being used was salvaged from an old projector lens. My brother used to do a lot of salvage work and gave me this and another lens. Both of them have been very useful over the years. The other one is flat on one side and was used mostly during my coin collecting days. It could be set on top of the display cases dealers used at coin shows to view a coin without having to have it removed from the case.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Some of Steven


Hmmm. Been using mine for several YEARS, now.....Liked the first set well enough, that I bought the second set a while back. Both sets see a lot of use..not just in pine, but other hardwoods like Oak, and Ash.

My primary wood is pine or fir, so that was what was used. My last project in a true hardwood was a saw handle.


Maybe it is in the way one USES these chisels? Beater chisels? I have an entire drawer of such "beater chisels" I could use for the "rougher" work. Could also just use an old wide screwdriver.

My old wide screwdrivers are saved for what they were intended to do, turning large threaded fasteners. Besides they do not hold an edge well.


I treat my sets of the Aldi's AS real chisels....rather than treat them like junk. More interested in HOW a tool does it's job, than whose name happens to be on them. Anyone can print a name on anything, declare it the finest since sliced bread.

Many of my "beater" chisels are fine chisels in their own right. They are not treated like junk. Like the Aldi chisels many of them have tall lands that do not play well when one wants to make clean looking dovetails.

None of my chisels are treated like junk. My name for my unassigned chisels may be misleading. Some of them are stout enough that they can survive being driving with a small sledge, hence the beating some of them can take is what gave them the name.

My Sandvik chisels reside in the "beater chisel" drawer, but they are not "beaters."

The Aldi 8mm chisel will not do a good job of cutting a 1/4" dado, unless one doesn't mind something rattling in the dado. Maybe we could buy a few sets and grind them down to the sizes we need. (or we could buy them from a maker who puts a little more effort into controlling the size of their product.

My paring chisels are seldom driven with a mallet. When they are, they are not struck hard, they a lightly tapped. If a mortise is to be cut, my preference is a mortise chisel. If a person feels better chopping a mortise with a bench chisel that is their right. My paring chisels have bevels in the 15-20º range. Not good for beating through a knot or other obstruction.


Handles? These fit my hands, that is all that counts, as for as a handle is concerned. If a handle doesn't fit the hand, or makes the hand hurt using it....it is either changed, or it is tossed into that drawer..

This is the reason for my preference for socket chisels. My right hand has an old injury that makes many handles very uncomfortable. My solution is to make my own handles.


If one is afraid to use their "good" chisels to do a bit of honest work, and save the hard work for "lesser" chisels....what good is the "Good Chisel" for? looking pretty in a display rack? IF I get a tool in the shop, it is for doing the job....do I "LOVE" the tools? No..I have no intention of marrying a tool....I intend to put it to work, and make it earn it's keep....otherwise, why bother. I could just as well post a picture on a wall of "Pretty Tools"...have other things to do.

When one is out to hunt bear they do not arm them self with a small pocket knife. When one wants to make tight fitting dovetails, one doesn't use a mortising chisel. When there is chisel work to be done on a stump, railroad tie or other piece that may have imbedded nails and other hardware, my paring chisels could do the work, but my sensibilities tell me a stouter chisel will not only do the job better, but will likely suffer less edge damage due to the higher bevel angle. Some of my "rough work" chisels have a bevel of 35º.

Just like when a person wants to go on dirt roads and do some hill climbing they do not take the family Cadillac, they take the 4WD. "Oh no, the Cadillac must be an inferior product if it can't take on a few hills and a little mud." Yea Right. The same person will not likely arrive at a social event in their mud spattered Land Rover.


Simpson showed you how to use a file, to change a chisels lands to suit. For those that claim to grind the edges off to make a scraper....Odd Lots sells cheap lathe tools, you could even use the one in that set AS a scraper.....since that is how it was made.

What is the lament of so many who prefer a new plane over an old Stanley/Bailey? Oh yea, my time is more important to me than what it costs to buy something that works right out of the box.

One part left out of my post on using the Aldi chisels is being able to cut it with an old auger file. So maybe if the mismatched bevels and high lands on these chisels bothered a person, there is a solution. Hours at the bench taking off a bit of metal. The other solution would be to seek out chisels that were already made with proper attention to such details. If they are good, they likely hardened it to where most files will roll right over the metal.

One thing that is likely to change is the cost of these if they are affected by the new tariffs. Maybe they will remain less than $10 for a set.

Another seems to be these are often reported as being out of stock. Guess those dovetails can wait until they get more in stock?

Yes, if one wants a set of chisels to show off in their shop Woodcraft has a nice boxed set of Tasai Damascas Pattern Blue Steel Multi-Hollow Back Chisel Set (https://www.woodcraft.com/products/tasai-damascas-pattern-blue-steel-multi-hollow-back-chisel-set-with-ebony-handles-in-signed-box?via=573621f469702d06760016cd%2C5763289c69702d3 1fb000992%2C5764195769702d3baa0002e5) priced in the $4,000 range.

There are many choices in between the Aldi and the Tasai.

My focus on attention to detail in my work can become distracted if the tool in my hand is not comfortable, if the metal is abrading my fingers, or if it is of the wrong design for the job at hand.

jtk

[Simon MacGowen]

Yes, if one wants a set of chisels to show off in their shop Woodcraft has a nice boxed set of Tasai Damascas Pattern Blue Steel Multi-Hollow Back Chisel Set (https://www.woodcraft.com/products/tasai-damascas-pattern-blue-steel-multi-hollow-back-chisel-set-with-ebony-handles-in-signed-box?via=573621f469702d06760016cd%2C5763289c69702d3 1fb000992%2C5764195769702d3baa0002e5) priced in the $4,000 range.

jtk

Holy moly.

I think there's a typo there: "blue steel" should be "pure gold." I wonder if WC would consider a trade (I am not calling Veritas in view of this new information).

Simon

[Jim Koepke]

" Originally Posted by Jim Koepke: It has been my honor to receive a set of the famous (infamous?) Aldi chisels from another member.

These are mass produced in Chinese factories were people do not earn what we would consider a great wage. The makers are not putting anything extra in the making of this product. My first thought on a way to cut cost was to forget the lacquer coating. Then it came to me this was necessary to keep the steel from rusting in shipping.

When a premium chisel is purchased the hoops and ferrules are likely of a more substantial material.
The bevels are likely better balanced.
The set up time will likely be considerably less.
If the chisels are made for paring they will have lower, and equal, side lands.
The metal and handles should be much better finished.
The sizing will likely be closer to what the label indicates.
For me, most of my wood still comes in inch sizes so the metric sizing isn't my choice. For many things it doesn't really matter.
For some folks a minimal set is fine. For myself, if chisels were readily available in 1/16" increments my accumulation would be larger.

So it really gets down to what a person wants in their shop. For inexpensive useable chisels in only a few sizes, the Aldi chisels can be a good deal. If you like something that feels like it belongs in your hand and can sneak into those tight corners, you will likely have to spend a lot more.

The Aldi chisels do seem to have a supply limitation and may be unavailable during the year. So if you want them, get them when you can.

jtk


Jim,

You certainly did a better job than Sellers in demystifying the Aldi chisels.

The numerous discussions about the Aldi chisels here and elsewhere tell us one thing: The star power of Sellers!

Who would've imagined that these (previously) little known chisels that might have been sold in a dollar store setting would receive such interest as well as scrutiny among woodworkers, if not for Sellers's recommendation.

Simon

Simon, Thanks for the kind words.

There are ways to cut the cost of a product and have it still be usable.

Many folks will find a set of Aldi or even Windsor chisels are all they need to enjoy making things of wood. There are other folks who will enjoy lightly caressing the surface of their very special chisels purchased from a legendary blacksmith via a serpentine channel of connections. Some of us have a feel or impression of where our tools have been. This sensory engagement in one's mind may add to the enjoyment of fitting a tenon to its mortise. Their choice or evangelical fervor will not bother me.

When one considers the difference between the different sets of chisels on the market, there is a lot more to consider than price alone. Remember John Ruskin:


From John Ruskin Quotes. There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.

In this case one may think of exchanging the phrase, "a little less finished" for the word "worse."

The Aldi chisels would require a considerable amount of work if one wanted lower side lands. Smoothing the sides for a better feel would be another time consuming task. The sizing might be a problem. Without doing a survey of others with chisels from various batches there is no way of knowing if they are of consistent size or if they vary from batch to batch or even in the same batch.

There are many folks who like the order of having matching handles on their tools. That is as good a reason as any for wanting a better set of chisels. For me, having matching handles in a set is not an important factor. Besides, with my turning skills it amazes me to have two handles turn out the same. Most of my handles are made out of different woods. It makes it easier to pick the chisel by looking at its handle.

Some folks like the look of bronze planes on their shelf as opposed to a gathering of Stanley/Baileys with a century of patina.

We certainly shouldn't get angry or defensive about our choices or the choices of others.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

I think there's a typo there: "blue steel" should be "pure gold."

A proprietary gold alloy hardened to Rockwell 64! :D

jtk

[Steve Clardy]

I bought mine just for the *hunt*.

But, I may turn them into tree hanging poster stickers. I'll have to touch em up first, and try them out. Lol

[Simon MacGowen]

Just saw this posted by Paul Sellers a couple of weeks ago on the internet:

"For 8 years I've recommended Aldi four part chisel sets because they were just excellent. Nice handles, good, good steel, easily refinable and 4 chisels for £8 the set. And now they've done this. No more recommended! Junk!"

Apparently he changed his mind and recommendation after seeing the rubber handles.

Simon

[Steve Clardy]

Rubber?? Hmm. All I've seen are wood.

[Simon MacGowen]

Rubber?? Hmm. All I've seen are wood.

Someone suggested that he get a set and change the handles...his response:"not interested. They are too thick and ugly."

The usual Sellers' style.

May be the future shipments from China will all be rubber handles...so (to those who are interested) better get some before it is too late.

Simon

[steven c newman]

393820
ymmv

[Stewie Simpson]

Some of Steven



My primary wood is pine or fir, so that was what was used. My last project in a true hardwood was a saw handle.



My old wide screwdrivers are saved for what they were intended to do, turning large threaded fasteners. Besides they do not hold an edge well.



Many of my "beater" chisels are fine chisels in their own right. They are not treated like junk. Like the Aldi chisels many of them have tall lands that do not play well when one wants to make clean looking dovetails.

None of my chisels are treated like junk. My name for my unassigned chisels may be misleading. Some of them are stout enough that they can survive being driving with a small sledge, hence the beating some of them can take is what gave them the name.

My Sandvik chisels reside in the "beater chisel" drawer, but they are not "beaters."

The Aldi 8mm chisel will not do a good job of cutting a 1/4" dado, unless one doesn't mind something rattling in the dado. Maybe we could buy a few sets and grind them down to the sizes we need. (or we could buy them from a maker who puts a little more effort into controlling the size of their product.

My paring chisels are seldom driven with a mallet. When they are, they are not struck hard, they a lightly tapped. If a mortise is to be cut, my preference is a mortise chisel. If a person feels better chopping a mortise with a bench chisel that is their right. My paring chisels have bevels in the 15-20º range. Not good for beating through a knot or other obstruction.



This is the reason for my preference for socket chisels. My right hand has an old injury that makes many handles very uncomfortable. My solution is to make my own handles.



When one is out to hunt bear they do not arm them self with a small pocket knife. When one wants to make tight fitting dovetails, one doesn't use a mortising chisel. When there is chisel work to be done on a stump, railroad tie or other piece that may have imbedded nails and other hardware, my paring chisels could do the work, but my sensibilities tell me a stouter chisel will not only do the job better, but will likely suffer less edge damage due to the higher bevel angle. Some of my "rough work" chisels have a bevel of 35º.

Just like when a person wants to go on dirt roads and do some hill climbing they do not take the family Cadillac, they take the 4WD. "Oh no, the Cadillac must be an inferior product if it can't take on a few hills and a little mud." Yea Right. The same person will not likely arrive at a social event in their mud spattered Land Rover.



What is the lament of so many who prefer a new plane over an old Stanley/Bailey? Oh yea, my time is more important to me than what it costs to buy something that works right out of the box.

One part left out of my post on using the Aldi chisels is being able to cut it with an old auger file. So maybe if the mismatched bevels and high lands on these chisels bothered a person, there is a solution. Hours at the bench taking off a bit of metal. The other solution would be to seek out chisels that were already made with proper attention to such details. If they are good, they likely hardened it to where most files will roll right over the metal.

One thing that is likely to change is the cost of these if they are affected by the new tariffs. Maybe they will remain less than $10 for a set.

Another seems to be these are often reported as being out of stock. Guess those dovetails can wait until they get more in stock?

Yes, if one wants a set of chisels to show off in their shop Woodcraft has a nice boxed set of Tasai Damascas Pattern Blue Steel Multi-Hollow Back Chisel Set (https://www.woodcraft.com/products/tasai-damascas-pattern-blue-steel-multi-hollow-back-chisel-set-with-ebony-handles-in-signed-box?via=573621f469702d06760016cd%2C5763289c69702d3 1fb000992%2C5764195769702d3baa0002e5) priced in the $4,000 range.

There are many choices in between the Aldi and the Tasai.

My focus on attention to detail in my work can become distracted if the tool in my hand is not comfortable, if the metal is abrading my fingers, or if it is of the wrong design for the job at hand.

jtk

Jim; these were tapered thickness firmer chisels with full 90 degree side lands. Removing a bit of metal is an understatement.

Stewie;

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/firmer%20to%20bevel%20edge%20chisels/DSC_0101_zpsfmegj60o.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/firmer%20to%20bevel%20edge%20chisels/DSC_0101_zpsfmegj60o.jpg.html)http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/firmer%20to%20bevel%20edge%20chisels/DSC_0102_zps3oiz65tz.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/firmer%20to%20bevel%20edge%20chisels/DSC_0102_zps3oiz65tz.jpg.html)

[Steve Clardy]

Someone suggested that he get a set and change the handles...his response:"not interested. They are too thick and ugly."

The usual Sellers' style.

May be the future shipments from China will all be rubber handles...so (to those who are interested) better get some before it is too late.

Simon

He must've got the rejects from Hong Kong.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim; these were tapered thickness firmer chisels with full 90 degree side lands. Removing a bit of metal is an understatement.[U]

Stewie;


Yes, that is a fascinating job you did on those.

My choice was to purchase chisels that were already beveled.

Fettling mettle does give me pleasure, but sometimes there are limits to how much effort will be spent. Most of my filing on wood tools is saved for saws and an occasional plane's mouth.

jtk

[Warren West]

I have to wonder how many sets of premium chisels could have been purchased with the aggregate time in dollar value expended on talking about cheap chisels.

[Bruce Haugen]

I have to wonder how many sets of premium chisels could have been purchased with the aggregate time in dollar value expended on talking about cheap chisels.

Good question. This topic has been hashed out before, it will happen again, and it gets everyone exactly nowhere. However, it does seem to stir the juices and people seem to derive a lot of pleasure from it.

[Simon MacGowen]

However, it does seem to stir the juices and people seem to derive a lot of pleasure from it.

That is part of the fun of visiting or taking part in a forum/forum discussion. Technical aspects are relatively dry and static, but not people's opinions.

Simon

[Jim Koepke]

I have to wonder how many sets of premium chisels could have been purchased with the aggregate time in dollar value expended on talking about cheap chisels.

Not as many as the time one would spend to fettle a set of cheap chisels into the look and feel of a set of premium chisels could buy.

Currently a Woodriver set of 6 chisels is $59.99. Not really my style, but likely to be a bit better finished. They are listed in inch sizes which is fine with me.

jtk

[phil harold]

As always great info Jim!


It has been my honor to receive a set of the famous (infamous?) Aldi chisels from another member

Not much of my time was spent on flattening the backs more than getting rid of the deepest scratches. My tendency is to work on that over time. A few hours was spent on getting them into shape. A bit more time was used because the two largest chisels tended to roll or chip after the first few times sharpening. The edges seemed to settle down after repeated sharpening.

This was after the third sharpening. After a few more trips to the stones it settled down and started cutting the same piece without the drama.

They take a decent edge. Shaving arm hair or wood they can hold their own:

This is pine. The end grain has been pared smooth.

So it really gets down to what a person wants in their shop. For inexpensive useable chisels in only a few sizes, the Aldi chisels can be a good deal. If you like something that feels like it belongs in your hand and can sneak into those tight corners, you will likely have to spend a lot more.

The Aldi chisels do seem to have a supply limitation and may be unavailable during the year. So if you want them, get them when you can.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for the kind words Phil and the experience.

jtk

[steven c newman]

In use, against Ash...
394086
YMMV, as usual..

[Jim Koepke]

My current project is making a pair of large saw horses. My plan is to use only one Aldi 24mm chisel and one of my paring chisels to compare. The 'other' chisel is a 1-1/2" Union Hardware chisel.

A little side note here. The Union chisels that have come my way have all been good quality tools. They used to be fairly inexpensive compared to other brands of chisels. The word must have gotten out on these as they now sell for a higher price than they did a few years back.

Both chisels have a 25º flat bevel without a secondary bevel.

For cutting the lap face on the legs all the knife cuts were vee notched to help guide the sawing.

First the Aldi:

394743

Then the Union:

394744

Both were able to do the work. What was most noticeable was the Aldi was a touch more difficult to push through the cut. It was after some use that it became clear that this was due to the Union chisel having been more polished on the back and the edges were smooth from use. The Aldi chisels are rough on the backs and sides. The edge where the back and side lands meet is sharp yet rough from the grinding. This could be addressed over time. After a bit of working with this the Aldi was taken to my Powered Sharpening System and a bit of back flattening was pursued. It can still use more. It seems they may have used a 60 grit abrasive in the factory to flatten the back. It still has some deep scratches, just not as many as it had before.

Shoulder Trimming

The Aldi:

394745

Then the Union:

394746

Both did a good job shoulder trimming. The Aldi chisel tended to dig into the cheek, likely due to it being a bit sharper at the edges. The control was a bit better with the Union chisel. This was likely not only because of the smoother sides from wear but the handle is a bit longer giving an advantage through added leverage.

The Handles:

394747

The feel of a handle is important to me. My Union chisel has a handle made of ash. It has a smooth surface due to use over the years.

Cheek Trimming

Once again in alphabetical order:

394748

And the Union:

394749

This is where my preference is a wide chisel. The image of the Aldi chisel trimming a cheek shows some of the shavings adhering to the surface. This is common when trimming across the grain with a chisel narrower than the surface being pared.

Both chisels held up reasonably during the making of eight cheeks and shoulders.

The Aldi chisel could use more grinding on the sides and back to make it smoother in use. The shoulders had a bit of metal flashing that was a bit rough to the touch when it was being sharpened on stones.

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

Same as I found Jim.

As a sidenote, when buying vintage chisels, don't make a rookie mistake that I made maybe two decades ago. That is when a chisel looks too good to be true, make sure you examine closely. I bought a socket chisel marked (IIRC) Dunlap. It was a dead ringer for a Witherby and had a price of maybe five bucks or so. I hurried and grabbed it, but when I got home and started cleaning it up, I discovered it was plated. In other words, junk for flattening.

[Steve Clardy]

Jim. The union and the aldi was a pretty wide difference in chisels. Different widths, different lengths, different weights.
Do you really feel that was a fair comparison?

[Jim Koepke]

Jim. The union and the aldi was a pretty wide difference in chisels. Different widths, different lengths, different weights.
Do you really feel that was a fair comparison?

Mostly my comparison was how they cut and observations from using an Aldi chisel on a project.

The Union chisel being longer was brought up as an explanation for the leverage or control advantage.

For some the difference in how a handle feels in their hands can be important. That is one of the reasons for my preferring socket chisels. It is also my main reason for buying a lathe. Besides, it used to be chisels without handles didn't demand as high a price as ones with decent handles.

The difference in feel or friction was theorized as the Aldi not having had as much surface prep as the Union chisel.

My intent was to show the differences one would likely encounter with a new Aldi chisel compared to a well prepared and cared for vintage chisel. My conclusion was the chisels did about equal work and both held up well for the task at hand. The Aldi chisel could have been compared to another 1" chisel, but none of my other paring chisels are ground to 25º. My 1" Buck Brothers chisel is ground to ~15º with even lower lands than the Union chisel used. It cuts a little finer shavings than my Union chisel due to the low angle bevel.

Any of the minor performance issues mentioned may not bother some folks. If it did, the Aldi chisels would benefit from a tune up to smooth the backs and sides. Maybe a little work to bring the down side bevels and bring them into balance.

The steel in the Aldi chisels, a chrome vanadium alloy, may not be A1 or PM-v11, but it seems to be as usable as any of my O1 chisels.

Heck, if these were on a shelf at less than $10 for a set when my first chisels were purchase these would have likely been my first chisel purchase. The Sandvik chisels cost me that much each back in my early days of butchering wood.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

My current project continues using the 24mm Aldi chisel. to address Steve's comment about using different size chisels two other 1" chisels have been put on the job. Though they do not match the weight or length. That could be difficult under most circumstances.

Here are the three side by side:

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At the top is a Karpenter (most of the name is worn down) from Winsted Tool Co. (also the maker of Witherby) which is from my eclectic gathering of short chisels or butt chisels. It has a 25º bevel. It is a good chisel and the handle feels good in my hand. The ring at the bottom can be pushed with the heel of my hand. It can also fit between my pinky and ring fingers comfortably when tapping with a mallet. It is a bit short for paring and can actually be uncomfortable when the work gives way and you bump your knuckles.

In the middle is a Buck Brothers. It is one of my favorite paring chisels. It demonstrates that the angle of the bevel makes a difference when paring. With a 15º bevel it may need attention to the edge more often than a higher bevel.

Third of course is the Aldi chisel with a 25º bevel that is holding up well. The Aldi is also doing well at what a chisel does.

Though all three are showing some edge deterioration.

Before this project is finished my other miscellaneous 1" chisels can be put to the test.

Pretty much the real difference is in the care and degree of the finishing the chisels received at manufacturing or since by various owners.

For those who may be curious, here is the first bandsaw horse finished:

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It was used when beveling the top for the second horse. The bolts thread into inserts so the horses can be disassembled to take up less space when not being used. Also the second one is being made a little wider so they will stack more compactly.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

"It was used when beveling the top for the second horse. The bolts thread into inserts so the horses can be disassembled to take up less space when not being used. Also the second one is being made a little wider so they will stack more compactly."

^^^^Good ideas Jim. Thanks for sharing.

P.S. My Aldis work fine for paring too - certainly worth the $6 I spent for them. And because they are so cheap, I have no qualms about regrinding from 20* to see how they will work at your suggested 15*. :)

Have a good day!
Fred

[Jim Koepke]

Have a good day!
Fred

Thanks Fred.

One more thing to be determined is if they will have a cross brace on the legs at each end. It would make it a bit more stable. It is stable now, but no telling what wear and tear might do to them. That is for a separate post on making these horses.

jtk

[steven c newman]

After all that work on the project I just completed....only one of my 8 Aldi's chisels needs a sharpening.....it had rolled off the bench, and hit the floor...the rest merely need a quick strop, and back into the til...

[Frederick Skelly]

There is something fun about getting good work out of inexpensive tools (without having to bust your hump fettling them first). :)

[Jim Koepke]

There is something fun about getting good work out of inexpensive tools (without having to bust your hump fettling them first). :)

It seems the closer one wants to get to great out of the box performance the more one has to pay.

If one is willing to put their own time and effort into the tune up and/or rehabilitation of a chisel then there is some good steel to be had at decent prices.

At one time my budget was much more limited than it is today. Sometimes it seemed more of my time was spent rehabilitating old tools than was spent woodworking.

The time was well spent. Making a few tool buying dollars go further was only one benefit. It also gave me a better understanding of the workings of the tools.

As long as the work can be sized to the tools, it all works.

jtk

[ken hatch]

It seems the closer one wants to get to great out of the box performance the more one has to pay.

If one is willing to put their own time and effort into the tune up and/or rehabilitation of a chisel then there is some good steel to be had at decent prices.

At one time my budget was much more limited than it is today. Sometimes it seemed more of my time was spent rehabilitating old tools than was spent woodworking.

The time was well spent. Making a few tool buying dollars go further was only one benefit. It also gave me a better understanding of the workings of the tools.

As long as the work can be sized to the tools, it all works.

jtk

Jim,

Every woodworker should spend time in rust purgatory. How much kinda depends on what blows your skirt. Whatever, I agree it will help your understanding of woodworking tools and may help make you a better craftsman.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

Two more 1" chisels were thrown in to the project:

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At the top is a Charles Buck marked chisel with a 30º bevel. The chisel in the center is Marked Witherby with a 25º bevel.

Both were good at making shavings:

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These are my two longest 1" chisels. Once again it is clear the overall length of a chisel can be an aid in controlling the chisel when paring.

The surface came out very well:

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Sometimes non-beveled chisels are my choice for paring between pins on dovetails.

Another image on using a longer chisel:

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The leverage of a longer chisel can help when paring end grain. Here the chisel started inline with the surface and instead of pushing through it is pivoted. This can trim a thin shaving and then leaves an edge to register the chisel for the next cut.

jtk

[Zac wingert]

Just bought a 6 piece woodriver chisel set from woodcraft. $70 for 6 chisels on sale. Definitely not perfect some of the bevels out of square etc.. spent about 4 hours honing/sharpening all six. Glad I didn’t spend the big money. Worlds better than the various hardware store ones I’ve been getting by with. Then again, I wouldn’t really know a good chisel from a great chisel. Main thing, I’m real happy with the. And ready to use them.

[Mike Brady]

Just a note about Michael Langman's post above: That was not me that made a video about converting Aldi chisels into skew chisels. I'm not sure who did that.

My opinion of these chisels is that they are better than having no chisels at all. I gave two sets away and received no "thank you" notes.

[michael langman]

Sorry Mike, I remembered a fellow with the name Brady, a little while back . Didn't mean to confuse you with him.

[michael langman]

Mike Baker 2, was the fellows name, who made the skew chisels from Aldis chisels. Apologise for the confusion.

[Frederick Skelly]

Just a note about Michael Langman's post above: That was not me that made a video about converting Aldi chisels into skew chisels. I'm not sure who did that.

My opinion of these chisels is that they are better than having no chisels at all. I gave two sets away and received no "thank you" notes.

IIRC, Mike Henderson also has a good vid like that using BORG chisels as a starting point.

[Jim Koepke]

So far in my experience there isn't much need for a skew chisel much larger than 1/2".

Though if someone is making larger joinery than average larger skew chisels may be handy. My first pair was made from a couple of 1/2" Witherby square sided chisels. Back when they were less expensive than they are now. My second set was made from random 1/4" chisels and is used on smaller joinery.

The Veritas Mk.11 Power Sharpening System blade holders have a way to hold a chisel at an angle for skewed blades. This made it fairly easy to make skewed chisels.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

For my last post a quick stroll through the auction site to see the current market of Witherby chisels was undertaken.

Clicked on a similar item listing (No. 112872526017). These are from DrillForce instead of WorkForce:

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It looks like a cardboard box and shipping adds about $20 to the price.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Been doing clean up with one of mine...
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Half laps in White Oak.....today it was used to trim plugs flush....pants leg strop was all I needed...

YMMV