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.