Want a quick answer? Chicago’s 120 Volt Circular Saw Blade Sharpener is the best saw sharpener you can get for your money. Read on to find out why.
You already know, or will soon discover, how cutting wood will dull your blades. In the case of power tools, you may want to consider resharpening your circular saw blades.
When your circular blade becomes dull, you essentially have 3 options: buy a new blade, pay someone to get it sharpened for you or sharpen it yourself. In the case of going DIY, you will need the best circular saw blade sharpener.
What follows is a closer look at what features make the best circular saw blade sharpener as well as five models that may work for you.
Top-Rated circular Saw blade sharpeners compared
Circular Saw Blade Sharpeners Buying Guide
You might be asking yourself what a circular saw blade sharpener is. Simply put, it is a power tool that holds a circular saw blade in place while a rotating grinding wheel is moved across the exposed saw tooth surface in order to grind it. The finished tooth surface will cut more effectively than it did when it was dull.
Advantages of having a circular saw blade sharpener
First off, you will provide an accurate grind angle. These sharpeners are designed to be set at an angle. This will also allow you to repeat that angle for consistent sharpening on each saw blade tooth and keep the proper tooth configuration.
Secondly, you will be able to sharpen the circular saw blade more quickly than with a file by hand. It may take a moment to set the sharpener up, but it will allow you to address each tooth quickly afterward.
Next, a circular saw blade sharpener will shine when doing more than one blade. Once you have the angle and size of the saw blade set, you will move quickly through multiple blades. I recall watching my late grandfather sharpen his saw blades by hand, and I can say these machines will do the job faster.
Finally, you will save money in the long run since you won’t have to pay someone else to sharpen your blades or, worse yet, buy a new circular saw blade each time your old one becomes dull.
Who would benefit most from having a circular saw blade sharpener?
Instead of just answering with “everyone,” let’s take a look at who might not be interested in a sharpener. These may not be necessary for your shop if you are a hand tools-only woodworker, although some woodworkers use a sharpener on various types of saw blades and drill or router bits. There are also those who I believe are mistaken, who believe that a used circular saw blade cannot be sharpened effectively once it becomes dull.
Anyone outside of the two groups mentioned above would benefit from this type of accessory.
The goal of resharpening your circular saw blades is to reuse them, saving you money. Buying one of these machines may not seem to save you money at first, but once you sharpen just a few circular saw blades, the blade sharpener will have paid for itself (especially if you tend to use more expensive circular saw blades).
If you work in construction or manufacturing, you will notice savings quickly. If you have a home workshop, it may take a bit longer unless you dull blades quickly by making batches of projects or many pieces of furniture.
Things To Look For in Circular Saw Blade Sharpeners
When shopping for this type of tool, there are some important considerations you must keep in mind.
Motor block tilt
The sharpener will need to tilt in order to produce the proper angle as it grinds the tooth. This will help you to maintain the configuration. Most products will offer tilt angles of 25 degrees, so if you find one with less, then look elsewhere.
The maximum saw blade size
Circular saw blades can range, on average, from 6.5 inches to 12 inches, with some blades going up to 16 inches. While most personal workshops use the smaller blades, you can encounter many of the larger ones on the Jobsite. Look for a unit that can handle blades up to 10 inches or larger if you use a chop or miter saw with larger blades.
Saw blade support
The saw blade will be attached with a tightening screw to the sharpener. With most models, there will be a small extension rod that provides extra support. Other designs will make use of a table surface.
Select extra support that you can afford, but keep in mind that this added rigidity will help to keep the blade in position as the grinding wheel moves across the tooth.
Grinding and polishing disks
These products make use of disks to grind against the saw tooth blade. They will come in either a Diamond or Emory surface. The Diamond wheels tend to be for course removal of a lot of material (and carbide teeth), while the Emory wheel provides a finer edge to the tooth (and for steel teeth).
You can also use a polishing wheel to remove rough edges and clean pitch build-up instead of using a hand brush with your preferred cleaner.
Circular Saw Blade Sharpener Reviews
Chicago 120 Volt Circular Saw Blade Sharpener
- Specialized blade receiver accepts blades with arbors up to 1 in.
- Motor block tilts 25° left and right to handle different blade tooth configurations
- Blade indexing arm for fast and easy performance
OVERVIEW
Chicago Tools provides a simple design that uses average build materials to help keep the price point down. These materials should be able to stand up to the vibrations generated by the motor.
PROS
CONS
Universal Circular Saw Blade Sharpener – 120 Volt
- Sold on Amazon
OVERVIEW
The first thing you will notice is the low price point on this model. That can be an advantage for those looking to try a sharpener out without committing to a higher-priced system.
PROS
CONS
YWTR 120 Volt Electric Circular Saw Blade Sharpener
- Specialized blade receiver accepts blades with arbors up to 1 in.
- Motor block tilts 25° left and right to handle different blade tooth configurations
- Blade indexing arm for fast and easy performance
OVERVIEW
This circular saw blade sharpener has a compact design that makes it easier to store when not in use, including a length of only 9.5 inches.
PROS
CONS
Hanchen Circular Saw Blade Sharpener
- 【Excellent Performance】The saw blade sharpener features 350 W reliable power, suitable for working in the high-intensity environment. The motor made of pure copper core strengthens the machine’s...
- 【Cutting Accuracy】The saw blade grinder is equipped with a surround-shaped saw blade holder, convenient and easy for adjusting the feed angle of the cutting edge (rake angle 0°~30°; Back angle...
- 【Upgraded Construction】The chassis of this saw blade sharpener is made of steel, strong and durable. Polish and lubricate the saw blade sharpener regularly will prolong its service lifespan.
OVERVIEW
This high-end device provides sharpening for large blades, making it an ideal fit for construction sites and manufacturing shops. The gauges are colored and easy to read with thin lines for greater accuracy.
PROS
CONS
Techtongda Circular Saw Blade Grinder Sharpener
No products found.
OVERVIEW
This design from Techtongda offers a solid hold and support for a variety of circular saw blades. Once the system is set up the sharpener is easy to use.
PROS
CONS
The Sharpest Tooth Belongs to…
The best circular saw blade sharpener award goes to Chicago’s 120 Volt Circular Saw Blade Sharpener. This product provides the features a beginning or intermediate woodworker will need without forcing them to commit to a big purchase.
The motor block adjusts to 25 degrees to the left and to the right, providing a decent angle range. It can handle circular saw blades as large as 15 3/4 inches with arbors ranging up to one inch in size.
It does provide blade support in the form of a rod near the cutting area. This is minimal in nature, but it should be adequate for most blades.
This product comes with a four-inch diamond wheel for carbide teeth as well as a four-inch emery wheel for steel teeth.
