Could be.....or maybe just better Ash?
Could be.....or maybe just better Ash?
I think the latest edition Aldi chisel are a Euro Beech. I'm going to start with reshaping the handles and lowering the bevel to 20 degrees and see if they can't be a decent paring type chisel. I have another set of Aldi's that I rehandled with Red Elm. Don't really notice a difference from the many other makers I have collected over the years. Since the Aldi chisels work that well I have given the others a break and just wear out the Aldis : ) Maybe I got a good set or maybe I'm just too busy using to worry about whose name is on the tool.
The sets we've seen look more like Euro beech than oak, but judge for yourself.
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I am pretty confident they will be just fine as parers.
My regular set is around 30 degrees. I hand sharpen and end up with a rounded bevel that seems to make it hold up better.
If I struggle with the chisel in a harder/softer wood I adjust the angle just a little. I like to build for friends and family and won't be mistaken for a Chippendale or Townsend anytime soon.
I have the two smallest chisels now reshaped to a hex and shellacked.
I'm not sure if I like how narrow they are but the beech is wonderful wood to work. Would like to try it in a bigger project of some sort.
They will see plenty of action and I'll let everyone know.
Steven, thanks for posting the pictures and your comments on what you see between the different sets. That long neck between the ferrule and the blade was one difference that jumped out at me when I first saw them in the store. I then went to three other stores in my area to see if this was a unit-to-unit variation in machining or consistent across this production run - all were the same.
I do like the appearance and feel of the different wood they've used. Just have to see if it holds up as well as the ash. And, my short experience thus far is as you noted: "So far, so good."
I picked up a set last night here in the Dallas area. Overall they seem ok for good starter/beater set of chisels. IMO, the lands could be finer, but they'll serve me well as paring and chopping chisels. I have an issue with a couple of the ones in my set not being square at the end and the bevels are nowhere near parallel to each other, but in the end they'll serve their purpose for $6 chisels .
When flattening the backs, all of mine had a hollow on the back. After 30 seconds or so with 400 grit paper (this was the coarsest i had on hand) on each one i had a good 1/4 inch of flatness at the tip. I didn't have time to flatten and sharpen all the way though.
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FWIW when I encounter a chisel like that I only work the first ~2" of the back, and focus my pressure at the tip to avoid creating a step in the center of the back. The depth of an arc is proportional to its length squared, so by only flattening the first 2" you reduce the amount of work you need to do by ~9X (assuming the blade is 6" long).
Stopped by my local Aldi and.... they are sold out. Oh well, maybe next time. I do wonder if the El cheapo Menards chisels aren't the same thing.
I need to pick some of these up.
Chris
If Aldi's in your area have been sold out of these chisels....come on over...
OK. I found another Aldi's and the y had some left. First - the good news - they had 3 sets. Now the bad news - I bought 2 of them. LOL
First impression: Backs are not close to flat. I figured they wouldn't be perfect, but putting two back to back leaves a gap of 1/16 to 1/8 inches between them (concave warpage on the back of each chisel - the number I stated = eyeballed not measured; is the biggest gap between any two chisels and yes, they are all warped). This is much more of a banana than I expected. I wonder if I could straighten these suckers out in a vise with a bit of a pull or not. I can't see any use in trying to grind this out.
Thoughts anyone?