What brand of chisels is Philip C. Lowe using?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

It was unknown to me that there are Aldi stores in the US. In Europe they are purveyors of shoddy goods, much like Wal Mart but smaller and without a mcdonalds or multi-level parking structure. Chisels, you say?

We have stores in Columbus Ohio and also in Michigan near Ann Arbor (ish). My wife likes their gluten free bread and their version of Rice Crispies (also gluten free unlike the original).

I have not found the chisels in their stores, but I am told that they are available around Father's day. Seve N likes their chisels. If I see a set, I will pick on up to try because.... why not? Oh yeah, I have no room.... but I will still probably pick up a set! :-) Sometimes people ask if they can borrow a chisel and they are not getting my nice chisels. I have done a lot of work with cheap chisels. I am kind of random as to which chisel I grab for some tasks. My cheap chisels are very sharp (OK, all my chisels are very charp), but they are not my first choice when I have some serious chopping to do!

[Günter VögelBerg]

We have stores in Columbus Ohio and also in Michigan near Ann Arbor (ish). My wife likes their gluten free bread and their version of Rice Crispies (also gluten free unlike the original).

I have not found the chisels in their stores, but I am told that they are available around Father's day. Seve N likes their chisels. If I see a set, I will pick on up to try because.... why not? Oh yeah, I have no room.... but I will still probably pick up a set! :-) Sometimes people ask if they can borrow a chisel and they are not getting my nice chisels. I have done a lot of work with cheap chisels. I am kind of random as to which chisel I grab for some tasks. My cheap chisels are very sharp (OK, all my chisels are very charp), but they are not my first choice when I have some serious chopping to do!

I have three tiers of chisels. I have the Lie-Nielsen chisels that do not leave my shop. I have Marples chisels that I use around the house for general carpentry and that I loan to one trusted friend, then I have some Stanley chisels from Home Depot that I lend to anyone else.

[steven c newman]

have to be quick....they set out ONE Box of the sets, and no more...when those are gone, that is it....and they sell out QUICK! keep an eye peeled on their sales flyers...be there the morning the chisels go on sale...by lunch time, you will be too late ...VOE...

( have 2 sets, BTW)
chisels.jpg
Newer chisels are a tad thicker, though..
edges.JPG
I can use one set for chopping, the other set for paring....
IMG_1944 (640x480).jpg
Still easy to flatten the backs....too.

[Doug Dawson]

It's the skil behind the handle of the tool not the tool.

I agree. It's the poor workman who buys cheap crappy tools. And some would say, that's why he's poor. Or something like that. :^)

[David Bassett]

Aldi and Trader Joe's are owned by the same conglomerate and many products are the same with different packaging.

We don't have them in our area, but they exist in Southern California.

I was curious last time this came up and dug a little into their corporate history and it's more complicated than one conglomerate. Aldi was a single chain, founded in IIRC Germany, and split into Aldi Nord & Sud (North & South) in the sixties when the two inheriting brothers had a disagreement. They coordinate products, split territories, and coexist outside the US. One opened Trader Joe's in the US (in the 60's or 70's?) and the other stayed out of the US market until more recently. It is the relative newcomer, using the Aldi name, that has seasonal merchandise and does the chisels. Per reports, they are offered just before Father's Day and (IIRC) one year also in late Summer.

[James Pallas]

With so many things to consider in buying or using a tool the use of that tool by someone is way down on my list. I don't care if it's a chisel or a shovel. Steven Newman seems to get along with Aldi chisels, Brian Holcombe likes Japanese chisels, Derek Cohen seems to get along with several types. I like how the tool feels in hand when in use or balance. Edge longevity is important to me but not enough to like a steep bevel just to have it. If I get along well with the tool that's what counts. There where three of us doing a little dirt work at my house the other day, three different shovels, two fiberglass handles and my wood handled True Temper. It seems that one person liked the feel of my True Temper and kept picking it up to use. I had to politely tell them I wanted to use my shovel and they should use theirs. The third person just said "What's the difference?" I just said blisters. Use what feels good to you and be happy.
Jim

[Andrew More]

Maybe a 5 thousand dollar set of Japanese chisels will jump off the bench and make a Cabriole leg unguided by human hands.
Jim

I think you've just described a CNC router.

FWIW, Aldi's here in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I've seen a video with Paul Seller's sharpening and using them to good effect. Might pick some up come father's day.

[James Pallas]

I think you've just described a CNC router.

FWIW, Aldi's here in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I've seen a video with Paul Seller's sharpening and using them to good effect. Might pick some up come father's day.

Hah ha good call it would work too.

[Rob Luter]

.......Steven Newman seems to get along with Aldi chisels, Brian Holcombe likes Japanese chisels, Derek Cohen seems to get along with several types.....

I'm guessing any of these three guys could put an edge on a soup spoon and get stellar results.

[Mike Brady]

Gosh, I'd give anything to have my posts removed from this thread. I really didn't want to hear from the "great craftman makes a highboy with only a sharp butterknife" proponents, and the Aldi chisel fan club. At this point Patrick Chase would look good. At least he was informed.

[Jim Koepke]

I like how the tool feels in hand when in use or balance. Edge longevity is important to me but not enough to like a steep bevel just to have it. If I get along well with the tool that's what counts.

Put me in the same boat. Buck Brothers and Witherby socket chisels feel good in my hand. Many other chisels also feel good in hand. If a tool feels rough or prickly in one's hand, as a woodworker one should be able to do something about it.

A good dent was put in my accumulation of extra chisels at a flea market last Saturday. The Aldi chisels stayed home as did quite a few others.

jtk

[steven c newman]

On the subject of fat handles:

When Uncle Arthur(itis) changes one's grip, to the point they have trouble holding an Estwing blue handle tight enough for it to stay in the hand's grip....I need fatter handles to match the hand's ability to grip. Those skinny Butcher, and old Buck Brothers handles? I have to use a thumb and one finger grip, as the rest can not close around them.

have a couple fingers with more twist and turns than a West Virginia road....they even make more noise than the pins, if I were to go bowling, again.

IF someone else has no problems gripping skinny handles, by all means, use them. The only type of chisel I am a "Fan Boy" of, is the one that I can use to get a job done...

YMMV

[Jim Koepke]

I need fatter handles to match the hand's ability to grip. Those skinny Butcher, and old Buck Brothers handles? I have to use a thumb and one finger grip, as the rest can not close around them.

That is why almost all of my chisels are socket chisels. The handle can be made to my needs, not what some marketing manager, who never used a chisel, decided looks nice.

jtk

[Edwin Santos]

On the subject of fat handles:

When Uncle Arthur(itis) changes one's grip, to the point they have trouble holding an Estwing blue handle tight enough for it to stay in the hand's grip....I need fatter handles to match the hand's ability to grip. Those skinny Butcher, and old Buck Brothers handles? I have to use a thumb and one finger grip, as the rest can not close around them.

have a couple fingers with more twist and turns than a West Virginia road....they even make more noise than the pins, if I were to go bowling, again.

IF someone else has no problems gripping skinny handles, by all means, use them. The only type of chisel I am a "Fan Boy" of, is the one that I can use to get a job done...

YMMV

More on the subject of chisel handles - I was debating between two particular lines of Ashley Iles chisels, one being the MKII bench chisel and the other being the American Pattern butt chisel. The only real differences are the handles and lengths. It's amazing how much of impact a subtle difference in handle will make in use. When chopping, I tend to choke up on the blade, holding it down low, very close to the work. The shorter handler really lowers the center of gravity, reduces fatigue, and increases feedback. On the other hand, the longer handle of the MKII is much better for paring. So I kept both.

To me this means handle shape and size is one factor in choosing a particular chisel for a particular task and also makes a case for accumulating a variety of styles. But I agree wholeheartedly with others who say you should not buy hand tools sight unseen without the opportunity to assess them in your hands, unless of course the vendor will take a return without giving you any guff.

Back to the OP topic, I can't speak for a master craftsman like Philip Lowe, but it would be interesting to ask him why he chose the Marples chisels that he chose. I wonder if he put a lot of thought into it, or did like Tage Frid who just went over to the local hardware store when he needed chisels?

[lowell holmes]

I am happy with my leather chisel roll filled with Lie Nielsen chisels.