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Thread: They're baaack

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Cool They're baaack

    Stopped in at Aldi's Friday..
    chisels.jpg
    $6.99 + sales tax...

    Haven't taken these out of the package, yet....

    Bought a set about 2 years or so ago.....still going strong.
    user chisels.JPG
    My current users. If I get a bit of time, I may tune the new ones up. Might even post a few pictures....

    First set was well worth the money....this new set may be as well....we'll see....

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    Ha! I was just in Aldi with my wife an hour ago, and I saw the chisels on sale. I said, honey, these are great - I got two sets last year, and the backs were flat on every one out of box. I turned one set into parers. And they hold their edge well.

    She looked like she does just before she falls asleep.

  3. #3

    Is there an Aldi store in LA?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gibney View Post
    Ha! I was just in Aldi with my wife an hour ago, and I saw the chisels on sale. I said, honey, these are great - I got two sets last year, and the backs were flat on every one out of box. I turned one set into parers. And they hold their edge well.

    She looked like she does just before she falls asleep.
    Mark, your location says it's Los Angeles. Is there an Aldi store there? I would love to get a set or two but there is no store in NorCal.

  4. #4
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    Praki, you're right there are Aldi stores all over SoCal, there is one in Hawthorne fairly close to me.

    I'm pretty sure they'll be up near you soon. Is there one in Sebastopol already?

  5. #5
    Thanks to Paul Sellers, people are selling them, say, on ebay, for $24 plus shipping.

    Simon

  6. #6
    Hey, they're ok.....just not quite as fabulous as everyone would have you believe. Paul Sellers should get a dollar for every set of these he has sold.

  7. #7
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    Been using a set for 2+ years, now......no complaints.

  8. #8
    A few of my students picked up sets, and I'll admit to squirreling away a couple of sets to stock additional benches. After clean-up, they are not bad at all - certainly on par for edge retention with many of the O1 chisels in the shop. In terms of closest match, the steel sharpens and retains an edge like some of the Marples Shamrock-marked firmers we have. That comparison does not hold for the handles, which are even worse than the horrible oval Two Cherries handles. Given the role these play in the shop (student tools and my site kit), they may get some work to strip the finish and a little reshaping, but the best fix would be re handling.

    One of my student's in process shots of her 18mm getting cleaned up and trialed.

    Aldi_18mm_01.JPGAldi_18mm_02.JPG

  9. #9
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    I have often wondered, is there a way to improve the performance of more economical steel? Maybe heat treat and temper?

    The things that matter are:
    1) 'grain size'
    2) hardness
    3) edge retention
    4) this terminology is likely not correct

    Is the above true? Metallurgy is a fascinating topic-one on which I'm relatively ignorant on.

    However, it would be cool to have a small forge, etc and get a swan from an ugly duckling.
    David
    Confidence: That feeling you get before fully understanding a situation (Anonymous)

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Hmmm, but....at $1.75 each for these chisels....is it worth all of that? Just tune them up, and use them.

  11. #11
    Sort of like Rittenhouse 100 in a Manhattan...works surprisingly well, given the price, and there are other choices that will run you a lot more without being noticeably better. Bottoms up!

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by David Ragan View Post
    Metallurgy is a fascinating topic-one on which I'm relatively ignorant on.
    However, it would be cool to have a small forge, etc.
    +1. I think it would be neat to have a forge, and they can be affordable. Check this one out David: link

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    +1. I think it would be neat to have a forge, and they can be affordable. Check this one out David: link
    Dang, Frederick. Izzat affordable?

    Aren't there some cheapo versions on YouTube? for the infrequent fool?
    David
    Confidence: That feeling you get before fully understanding a situation (Anonymous)

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Ragan View Post
    ... Aren't there some cheapo versions on YouTube? for the infrequent fool?
    Don Weber describes a simple one-burner propane forge in the special features to his "Build a Viking Tool Chest" DVD, published by Pop Wood. One note on that, he says you can build it in $25-30 of parts, but that depends on your location and scrap pile. Clearly he had spare fire bricks to use, because they cost ~$90 new here in SF Bay Area. Also, his ACE Hardware has different stock than our local one. When I took ours his parts list, they got wide eyed and suggested a welding supply might have that stuff.

    Several other designs, of different size and complexity, floating around. (I think someone has a smaller, single molding plane iron size, oven posted here. Maybe in Metal Working sub-forum?)

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by David Ragan View Post
    Aren't there some cheapo versions on YouTube? for the infrequent fool?
    Sure there are. Depends on what you want to do. Me? I currently temper with a Map Gas torch and a coffee can full of lime (total cost $30). But if I ever decide to start banging hot steel on an anvil, and doin it regularly, that chilli forge is something worth saving a couple years for.

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