tuning up some cheap Stanley chisels (STHT16727 and 16-150)

[Andrew Pitonyak]

As mentioned in a previous post, I recently finished building boxes for some cheap Stanley chisels:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....-chisel-length

The easy price on these sets of three chisels is near $13 for three chisels but I have paid under $6 for each set because Ace Hardware often sells them at a super special to get you in the door. By Often, I might mean once or twice a year.

Over the last week or two I have tuned up three sets of these with dates between 2015 and 2021 according to the packaging. Two sets made in China and one set in Vietnam.

All three had very flat backs with milling marks on the backs. I used Shapton glass stones 1K, 2K, 4K, 8K (Professional Melon stone) or 1K, 2K, 5K (Professional Wine Stone).

The 1K stone did very short work of polishing the back and removing the mill marks. The other progressions were even faster. This is the part that I usually dread the most, flattening the back.

I then set the bevel using my Tormek then I went from 5K, 8K, 16K, and 30K.

Stanley claims that these chisels are "carbon steel" and they sharpen fast. I assume that this means that they will dull quickly. The chisels took a good edge quickly, but they will not replace my Lee Valley PM-V11 or Stanley Sweetheart chisels. Probably also will not hold up as as my Narex chisels, but I have done significant work with my original set of 1970's era 16-150 Stanley chisels. I know that many people really liked the Aldi chisels (that I have never used or held). Given their reputation, the steel is probably better (based strictly on reputation), but you can get these Stanley chisels any time from probably any hardware store.... and I do not mind loaning these to someone who I know will abuse them.

[Mike Manning]

We like pics, Andrew! Thanks for sharing that info on the Stanley chisels.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

We like pics, Andrew! Thanks for sharing that info on the Stanley chisels.

Lets see what I can add...

This box is mahogany with a cherry lid. I opted for a garnet shellac because I had some mixed up. Normally I would have applied oil first to pop the grain but I did not want to take the time.

01_box.jpg

This is the one remaining set of "new" Stanley chisels. It is longer than the older (2015) sets even though they look the same. The handles are completely different from the versions in the 70's.

02_box.jpg

Not a very good picture, and I polished further back than I needed, but did not bother trying to put a mirror on anything other than at the edge. I was in a hurry so did not spend more than say 5 to 10 minutes per chisel.

03_chisel_back.jpg

This is the box for the set from the 70's. This one is Wenge with African Mahogany for the top. Again with the Amber shellac.

04_box.jpg

The original four chisels given to me by my Father. Three Stanley and one Fuller. These are much shorter and the handles are totally different. The Stanley chisels were made in Spain.

05_chisels.jpg

The back of one of the Stanley chisels. This picture is better than the last.

06_chisel_back.jpg

Original packaging for the newer version was cardboard backing with hard plastic that is difficult to cut through. The 1970's packaging was a red backed flexible plastic with a clear front and you could store the chisel in it... but the chisel had a tendency to cut the flexible plastic. Unreasonable to try to store the newer chisels in the original packaging.

08_packaging.jpg

[Maurice Mcmurry]

A good tool deserves a good box! Those look excellent. My Stanley chisels are the ones with the translucent yellow plastic handles and steel cap. They are trusted friends.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

A good tool deserves a good box! Those look excellent. My Stanley chisels are the ones with the translucent yellow plastic handles and steel cap. They are trusted friends.

My first two chisel boxes were the same and I threw them together thinking I would remake them later when I had more time and I had better skills for hand cut dovetails (and similar). So I made two boxes that look similar to this one:

07_lee_valley_bench_chisels.jpg

Those are my nicest chisels. Lee Valley bench chisels with PM-V11. Originally they did not offer a 1/8" chisel so I purchased a Stanley sweetheart chisel. I now have the Lee Valley 1/8 chisel as well. There is a Blue Spruce marking knife as well. The sides are cherry then I simply glued on some plywood for the top and bottom. That was years ago and the case is fine even if it does look horrid. I had another set of chisels in a similar case that was mostly inherited chisels. I did finally make another box for those, however.

I purchased a set of "cheap" carving chisels because I use them very infrequently. I kept them in the cardboard box they came in.

01_cheap_carving_chisels.jpg

I kept my Lee Valley detail chisels in the box they came in as well. It works. Too bad they no longer offer this set for sale. I really like these when I make small detail boxes such as boxes for toothpicks.

02_veritas_detail_chisel_set.jpg

Narex offered a set of long paring chisels some years back and they suggested they might not make / offer them again. I like the length. The sides are oak and the top is cherry.
03_narex_paring_chisels.jpg

I made the box for my Ashley Isles mortise chisels at the same time as the Narex paring chisels. This box is entirely made of cherry.

04_ashley_isles_mortise_chisels.jpg

I finally made a box for my "misc" chisels to replace my original piece of junk box that still worked fine. I had acquired some more chisels and I figured it would be nice to have them all together. This is leopard wood for the sides and then oak for the top and bottom panel. Empty the box is heavy. Full, the box is, well, heavier!

05_misc_chisels.jpg

Most of these are Narex chisels (not Richter, the cheap chisels). Currently there is one greenly (I think) and the rest are Stanley older chisels. The wide Richter chisel is just under 2". I have an older chisel that is about 2 1/16" that I might toss in as well as a gouge or two I might add.

06_misc_chisels.jpg

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I heard back from Stanley on the differences between the STHT16727 (new and improved) and the 16-150:

Regarding the length of the tool, we can't really assure why this changed, however, sometimes it's to improve the quality and efficiency of the products. Also, the difference between the model STHT16727 and 16-150 it's that the model STHT16727 is the newest and upgraded model, also the materials could be different so this could last longer with you.
However, please keep in mind that is up to you what which one you decide to buy according to your preferences, also I'm gonna set a report about your feedback regarding the length.

The new and improved model..... Hmmmmm.... That sounds vague, would love to know what they really did.

[Rafael Herrera]

The 16-150 ($13.50) looks less ornate than the STHT16727 ($12.) Both are drop forged carbon steel chisels, but their performance is determined by the heat treatment. Based on the price, they should be similar.

16-150_1.jpg STHT16727_1.jpg

[Ben Ellenberger]

I heard back from Stanley on the differences between the STHT16727 (new and improved) and the 16-150:




The new and improved model..... Hmmmmm.... That sounds vague, would love to know what they really did.

My guess: they got a better quote from a different factory, so someone else is making them for Stanley now. Stanley must not specify the overall length when they ask for bids.

[John C Cox]

Stanley actually makes several different lengths of chisels but they aren't always available in the same
country. For example, Stanley chisels sold in England tend to be full length, where those sold in the US tend to be shorter "butt" length. I've also seen some coming in that are sort of halfway between the two.

Remember that Stanley Black and Decker owns Irwin/Marples/Record... They definitely have different price/quality tiers for their tools. Their Made in UK stuff tends to have their best steel and it goes down from there.

Comparing anything to an Aldi chisel is a nonstarter for me. I tried three sets and didn't get particularly good performance out of any of them. Other people love them, so it's probably me.

In terms of cheap chisels that surprised me... The Chinese made Buck Bro's with the comfort grip handle actually performed very well for in my hands. They aren't super ultra cheap, but they are my current budget chisel pick.

In terms of simply buying success.. I really like the Woodcraft Socket Chisels and Narex Richter chisels. That's where I would send folks.

[Jack Dover]

Comparing anything to an Aldi chisel is a nonstarter for me. I tried three sets and didn't get particularly good performance out of any of them. Other people love them, so it's probably me.

Matches my experience 100%. But rumors are Aldi used to order the chisels manufactured to some DIN standard. At some point they've dropped the standard. There where photos comparing packaging and pointing out that all mentions of DINxxxx were gone. So people who had bought them in past ~5 yrs just hate them, me included.

Buck Bros with yellow CAB handles were a hidden gem. When buying the whole set they were ~8$ on average in pre-pandemic money. There's some variation in quality, I've got one or two with some mill marks here and there, but because of this variation one could pick a chisel with very slender lands. They were flat, I fettled quite a number of them and not a single one out of well over a 100 chisels had a bulging back, and lapping was a couple of minutes tops. They're so called American pattern, so they're very good for kids and people of smaller stature, people with larger hands will find their ergonomics just superb. I've learned pencil grip with full size Stanley Fatmax (didn't know any better back then), these feel like a real pencil - light and agile, well balanced.

Not exactly sure what steel are they, but on a stone they feel more like hight carbon steel than CrVa\CrMg steels popular for cheap chisels. They hold an edge very well, if only I knew when starting I'd probably wouldn't spend a fortune on all these chisels of mine. But even now I have a full set nearby at all the times.

All in all this is a very attractive option for a beginner: a set of 3 for ~ 25$ or a set of four for ~ 35$ is hard to beat, given their properties. They're no longer offered in HD stores, but they're still available online.

[steven c newman]

The Chisel Rack.JPG
All my users....