ALDI chisel set Paul reviewed sometime ago
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Tagged: Tools ALDI chisle and file set
- This topic has 17 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 6 months ago by Alexander Mahmoud Helmy.
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In the States, at least an add in the local, Huntington, WV ALDI’s, shows the 4 piece ALDI Workzone chisel set will be available on Sunday, Sept 10, 2016, $6.99. Also a 6 piece file set is available, same price. If the files match up the the quality of the chisels they would be a good buy too.
10 September 2017 at 4:29 pm #315754Just picked up both chisels and files here in RI. I think (hope) the files would suit well to just using on wood.
10 September 2017 at 10:19 pm #315756I’ve been waiting over a year and a half here in the UK for Aldi to put the chisels back in stores but to no avail. I even emailed Aldi asking when they would be selling them again but they couldn’t tell me, instead just telling me to sign up to their website so I would be notified in advance of what specials they were going to have. Still no luck though.
I’ve also signed up to Lidl’s website too in the hope I won’t miss out if and when they sell the chisels again.
In the US, the Harbor Freight chisel set is, per all visual comparisons, identical to the Aldi. Six piece set for USD9.99, https://www.harborfreight.com/wood-chisel-set-6-pc-62641.html I have been using them for about a year and they are excellent!
- This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by rafi.
The HF chisels are NOT identical to the Aldi/Lidl chisels although they have three things in common:
1. Wooden handles.
2. Metal blades.
3. Made in China.Anyone considering the purchase of the “Windsor Design” chisels should take a trip to their local HF store for a close look at these things. Then visit Aldi and see the difference.
I’m glad that Rafi managed to get a good set.
Dave
To be accurate, I did say “per all visual comparisons.” Here are pictures from Paul’s blog of the Workforce Aldi and the Harbor Freight chisels. Both are etched “Chrome Vanadium.” The HF chisels perform excellently! They hold an edge well in the hardest of local tropical woods which i work most often. All had ground backs but polished very easily on initialization, surprisingly most of the backs were rough but flat. The feel is solid while cutting mortises and paring. The tangs and handles work well together. Paul may not like the top and bottom ferrules, but none have come loose. All these are made in China, probably in related, or the same, factory with names and apperances to suit different chain stores. Oversimplifying the comparison to the point of “wood, metal, China” is… well, unfair in any case and to these tools.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.12 September 2017 at 3:45 pm #315884I bought my daughter-in-law a set of Harbor freight chisels I have used them recently and they actually holding age very well and they’ve stayed up pretty good to her wellieing on them. They sharpen nice and hold an edge. Not bad for 10 bucks
13 September 2017 at 10:30 pm #315904I have several sets of the Aldi chisels and one set of the HF chisels. The HF chisels were my first set, and do hold a sharp edge just fine. I’ve abused both sets and have discovered their respective failure modes. The difference is in the handle. The HF wood is simply inferior.
14 September 2017 at 3:12 pm #315909Thanks Angus,
I totally forgot about Lidl at the time, probably because the nearest to me is about a twenty five minute drive away whereas the Aldi is only about five. Anyway as I said, I’ve now signed up to the Lidl email notification too so hopefully this time I won’t miss them. In fact I’ll get two sets at that price.
5 October 2017 at 6:47 pm #329268I know I’m late, but I was searching for the same chisel set as well last week. Found it by sheer luck at Aldi Suisse (Switzerland) and was lucky enough to have someone there who was able tp pick it up and bring it here. The price was at 9.99 CHF. I’m happy with it, really. I’ve only sharpened 2 so far, but it was just as Paul describes: they’re easy enough to sharpen, hold a good edge and work just fine!
Seems to me that it was around this time of the year, a year ago, may two, may be three that Paul posted a blog about the quality of these chisels. May be it is something Aldi carries only this time of the year, when we come in from all the outdoor activities and get back to woodworking.
The chisel set is one of those “Aldi Finds” that Aldi brings out once a year to lure in customers. They typically will stock enough to last about a week and that’s it until the next year.
In the U.S. in 2015 and 2016 they had them as part of a Fathers Day promotion in early June. This year it was in early September.
I believe that they have them in UK stores in January.
Dave
1 November 2017 at 12:32 am #345541Here in the UK, Lidl have the chisels back stock (29th October 2017) for £7.99 for a set of 4 (8mm, 13mm, 18mm & 24mm). They are still made in Germany by the same manufacturer, but the quality isn’t as good as the set I bought from Lidl this time last year. The handles are now Beech rather than Hornbeam and are not very well finished, but nothing that a light sanding and a coat of your favourite finish won’t cure. The blades however, while still chrome vanadium steel, and pretty well shaped and square, have some sort of protective coating on them that hasn’t been very well applied and has left run and drip marks. It also doesn’t seem to want to come off. Again, some time on abrasive paper and your stones and I suspect they will come up OK. For £7.99 I will forgive the quality issues and persevere with the effort required to get them up to scratch, as they are still a lot better than any other chisels you could buy for the money. It’s just a shame the quality has dropped since last year but still great value for money.
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