Lidl chisels for Xmas
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31 December 2014 at 5:37 pm #122886
I do not need any more bevel edge chisels but My aunt bought me a set of Lidl chisels for xmas which I gratefully received.
I was going to buy a set of these a few weeks back just to compare to my extensive range of chisels I already have. I thought better of it so I did not buy.
My first impressions the bevel edges pretty thick so more use as a general purpose chisel.
The grind marks on chisel pretty course on the bevels and the back. A little Disappointing but for how much they coast was not to surprised at this issue.
The handle did not feel too bad and chisel felt quite balanced. I’m not to struck on the top ferrule looks a bit tacky. I probably revamp handles like what Paul S done in his blog.
Now on to flattening backs and honing.
I started with the 24mm chisel, I used extra course 8×3″ 120grit Trend diamond plate and a Trend double sided plate 7×2 1/2″ 600grit and 1000g they are flat to within half a thou ,compound and leather strop.
I laid the back of the 24mm chisel on the course plate and rubbed a few strokes then took a look at he back the front edge had scratch marks and further back up the chisel had some marks as well. Well that’s good a concave back. I continued a little longer on the course plate until I had scratch marks 1/4″ to 3/8″ back from the cutting edge.
I then proceeded onto the finer plate and went through the grits then polished on leather strop with compound.
I then honed secondary bevel free hand using just the double sided Plate and a few strokes on leather strop to remove burr. I now have a razor sharp hair cutting chisel quite happy with result.
The turn of the 18mm next all went well as above that”s two chisels ready to go. 😉
12mm chisel next I rubbed a few strokes on the course plate.
First thing I noticed was the sound the back of chisel made on the plate. Sounded very much like using a file. The grind marks very course indeed on this chisel.
I took a look and to my horror only the back nearer the handle end of chisel getting.
Agh convex back I put a straight edge on back and it must of been at least 0.5mm about 20 thou gap at front edge. That’s a lot of metal to remove. Considering the plate is 120g quite ferocious I still was not making much headway.
I turned to my Tormek T7 with the grinding wheel running away from you. I placed back of chisel carefully on the wheel and ground little in middle back of chisel but not the front edge. Checked with straight edge getting better. I had another little go on the grinding wheel. Another look and I felt I had a chance on the plate.
After a few rubs on the plate I could see that most of the back was getting scratch marks the very tip just not touched. I continued and put a fair bit of in work to make sure I got all of the back flat.
Now because the whole back flat it means more work on other plate grits as well so takes a fair bit longer.
I honed a secondary bevel and don as above the 12mm chisel now ready for use. That was quite hard work.
The 8mm chisel next how’s my luck well not good I checked with a straight edge and about 0.5mm gap at front edge. I did check with different straight edges but all showed about the same 0.5mm gap at front edge.The grind marks on the back of this chisel did not seem as bad as the 12mm chisel.
I also gave back a little rub on course plate and confirmed convexity.
From that point I went to my grinder and done the same as the 12mm chisel.
So at this point I have four working chisel ready to go all the hard work done apart from the revamp of handles and ferrules to brass.
I have mixed emotions about chisel as on the whole Paul S has given them good reviews.
Maybe I was just unlucky as I received them as a gift I had nothing to loose. Even if you bought them your self at £7.99 you not at a great lose.
I don’t want to put anyone off of buying Lidl or Aldi chisels you have a bargain if all good. In the end chisels last for years and if you do have to put a few hours work to put them right it not so bad. Sometimes though if so bad it not worth all that effort.
I would liked to have said what edge retention was like but as I do not get much time to do any woodwork of late and very cold in my shed this will have to wait.
Happy New year WWMAttachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.1 January 2015 at 12:58 am #122907Wow, that is a lot of work but they came out nice! I do not have a T7 around. I did get a low speed grinder with the norton cool wheels for regrinding my bevels. The diamond plates are what I use for the flattening and I fear I never take them as far as you have. I get bored and move on…
1 January 2015 at 7:11 am #122913Hi mike,
If I never had the grinder I may have given up myself and luckily they were the smaller chisels in the set.
The beauty of a concave back is that less work has to be done to gain a good cutting edge.
A convex back is bad news your cutting edge will not register and you would end up trying to push front edge of chisel down to make it cut.
I wrote post just to give other members a bit of a warning. Members may have todo more work on chisels then they bargained for. Like I said above maybe I was just unlucky with set I received.1 January 2015 at 10:35 pm #122932I have not counted how many chisels I have but I think it 60 plus
2 January 2015 at 1:47 am #122935I have about 6, some old stanleys from the 50’s and some plastic handled big box variety. I’ll have to redouble my efforts on my next round of honing I see. Always a learning process and something to strive to.
How polished does the back need to be? mirror?
2 January 2015 at 4:31 pm #122954Ideally get back and bevel honed as highly polished as you can possible.
The idear of sharp is tho have two surfaces meet to a point with an equale finish / polish.
You can get water stones,ceramic stone, and 3 M films for scary sharpening upto around 32,000 grit
But in reality not necessarily needed you can get sharp with an norton oil stone which equates to about 400 grit good enough for most situations.
If you follow Paul’s method using diamond plates and strop with compound. Go through the course plates to super fine plate brings you up to 1200grit using strop and compound upto 15,000 grit.
Edges degrade as soon as you use them but as soon as an edge goes dull sharpen it not worth caring on your work will suffer as well it is harder on you as well.I think Paul has mentioned many times about the percentage of time he uses to sharpen his tools verses using them. I don’t remember what it was but I do agree with Mark. No mater how long it takes, working with dull tools is not productive and quality suffers.
3 January 2015 at 9:12 pm #123002I would like to add that using Norton oil stone good for most carpentry & joinery work situations.
For furniture making going up grits to around 6,000-16,000 dose have an advantage of better quality finish. -
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