Drill Bit Sharpener or Saw Blade Sharpening Machine: How to Choose
For drills, choose a dedicated drill bit sharpener: it holds the point angle and equal lip length, which is hard to achieve freehand on a bench grinder. Circular saw blades need a separate machine with an adjustable tilt angle and a large enough blade capacity (up to 700 mm in our catalog). A double-wheel bench grinder is for lathe tools, chisels and general tools, while a universal tool grinder handles milling cutters, countersinks and other complex tools.
Four types of sharpening machines and how they differ
In workshops, "sharpening machine" can mean very different equipment. Choosing the wrong type costs more than choosing the wrong model: a bench grinder will not sharpen a carbide-tipped saw blade, and a drill sharpener will not regrind a lathe tool. So first decide what you sharpen most often, and only then compare prices.
All four groups are in the sharpening machines section. In short:
- Drill bit sharpeners - a fixture with a chuck or V-block that sets the point angle and rotates the drill 180° for the second lip.
- Saw blade sharpening machines - a blade clamp, tooth indexing and a tilting head for the sharpening angle.
- Bench grinders - two abrasive wheels on one shaft, tool rests and eye shields. The general-purpose workhorse of any workshop.
- Universal tool grinders - a cross-slide table, a swivelling grinding head and fixtures for milling cutters, countersinks, taps and lathe tools.
Drill bit sharpener: what to look for
The main parameter is the range of drill diameters the fixture can clamp. It depends on the model and the collets supplied, so check the product card or the machine manual. If you use drills from very small to large, you may need two machines or a model with an extended collet set.
The second parameter is point angle adjustment. The standard angle for steel is 118°; for hard and stainless steels 135° is often used. An adjustable angle is better than one fixed value. Web thinning is also useful: it reduces thrust force and makes starting the hole easier.
Why not freehand? An experienced machinist can sharpen a drill on a bench grinder, but repeatability depends on the hand. If one lip is longer or the angles differ, the drill cuts an oversize hole, runs hotter and dulls faster on one side. A dedicated sharpener sets the geometry with the fixture, so the second, tenth and hundredth drill come out the same - and the job can be given to an operator without experience.
Our catalog has models from ~2 900 UAH incl. VAT (Opti GQ-D13) to ~66 700 UAH incl. VAT (OPTIgrind GH 15T). Popular workshop choices are the OPTIgrind GH 10T at about 27 400 UAH incl. VAT and the FDB MF13DW at about 37 300 UAH incl. VAT, both running on 220 V.
Saw blade sharpening machine: diameter and angle
The first thing to check is the maximum blade diameter. For the models in our catalog it is 700 mm, which covers almost all blades for panel saws, cross-cut saws and multi-rip saws in woodworking.
The second is the head tilt angle. It defines which face and top angles of the tooth you can grind. The Holzstar SBSM 700 tilts 20°, the FDB Maschinen MF 126 tilts 30° and runs at 2840 rpm. A wider range gives more freedom with different tooth profiles.
The third is tooth material. Carbide-tipped blades are sharpened with a diamond wheel; an ordinary corundum wheel barely cuts carbide. Steel blades can be sharpened with corundum. Before buying, check which wheel is supplied and how easy it is to get a replacement.
Price-wise this is an affordable category: the SBSM 700 is about 10 400 UAH incl. VAT, the MF 126 about 17 400 UAH incl. VAT. The machine pays for itself when you regularly send blades out for sharpening.
Bench (double-wheel) grinder: wheel, speed, voltage
A bench grinder is the most versatile and cheapest option: lathe tools, chisels, center punches, knives, deburring. But the angle is held by the operator's hand, so for batch sharpening of drills or saw blades it does not replace a dedicated machine.
Wheel diameters in the catalog range from 200 to 300 mm. The Proma BKL-2000 has a 200 mm wheel, 16 mm bore, 2850 rpm and runs on 230 V - a fit for a small workshop at about 10 800 UAH incl. VAT. Models with a 250 mm wheel (LT 900, BKS-2500 with stand) already require 400 V.
Heavy industrial grinders with a 300 mm wheel and 75 mm bore - the OPTIgrind GU 30 and the LT 2200 - run at 1450 rpm with a 2.2 kW motor. Lower speed on a larger wheel gives the same surface speed, and the strong motor does not stall when removing a lot of stock. Prices range from ~39 200 to ~43 200 UAH incl. VAT.
Before ordering a 400 V model, make sure your building has a three-phase supply. For a garage or small workshop without three phases, choose 230 V.
Universal tool grinder: when it is worth it
A universal tool grinder is needed when the shop uses milling cutters, countersinks, reamers, taps and form tools. It has a table with longitudinal and cross feed, a swivelling head and a set of fixtures that let you restore complex geometry.
The Proma ON-220 takes wheels up to 125 mm with a 31.75 mm bore, runs at 2800 rpm on 380 V and weighs 71 kg; about 169 800 UAH incl. VAT. The heavier Holzmann UWS 320 (280 kg) handles tools up to 125 mm in diameter, grinds up to 300 mm in diameter and has 170 x 100 mm table travel; about 240 600 UAH incl. VAT, to order.
If you only need to sharpen drills, a universal machine is overkill: a dedicated drill bit sharpener costs several times less and works faster.
Selection table: task - machine type - key parameter
The ranges in the table come from models in our catalog. Prices are rounded and include VAT.
| Task | Machine type | Key parameter | Price incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batch sharpening of twist drills | Drill bit sharpener | Diameter range, point angle 118° / 135° | ~2 900 - 66 700 UAH |
| Sharpening circular saw blades for woodworking | Saw blade sharpening machine | Blade up to 700 mm, tilt 20-30° | ~10 400 - 17 400 UAH |
| Lathe tools, chisels, general tools in a small workshop | Bench grinder 230 V | 200 mm wheel, 2850 rpm | ~10 800 UAH |
| The same in a shop with three-phase supply | Bench grinder 400 V | 250-300 mm wheel, motor up to 2.2 kW | ~14 500 - 43 200 UAH |
| Milling cutters, countersinks, form tools | Universal tool grinder | Tools up to 125 mm, table travel, 380 V | ~169 800 - 240 600 UAH |
Wheels, power and how to order
A corundum (aluminium oxide) wheel is the standard for high-speed and carbon steel. Corundum barely cuts carbide - that needs a diamond wheel. CBN wheels work well on high-speed steels: they keep their shape longer and heat the tool less. Check the product card for the wheel fitted to a specific model.
Power matters for bench grinders and universal grinders that remove a lot of metal. For drill and saw sharpening fixtures it is secondary - mechanical precision matters more.
МЕЛИТА has been operating in Dnipro since 2015. We issue invoices with VAT for companies, ship across Ukraine via Nova Poshta, Meest or freight carriers, and pickup in Dnipro is free. Machines come with a 12-month warranty.
If you are not sure which machine you need, send us the list of tools you sharpen, their diameters and your supply type via the quote request form - we will pick a model and issue an invoice.
FAQ
What is the correct point angle for a metal drill bit?
For structural steel the standard point angle is 118°. For hard and stainless steels 135° is often used. On a sharpener with adjustable angle both are set without changing the fixture.
Can I sharpen a drill bit on a regular bench grinder?
Yes, but accuracy depends on skill. If the lips end up different lengths, the drill will cut oversize and dull faster. For batch sharpening a dedicated machine is better.
What do you sharpen carbide-tipped saw blades with?
With a diamond wheel. A corundum wheel barely cuts carbide and clogs quickly.
What is the largest saw blade diameter I can sharpen?
The Holzstar SBSM 700 and FDB Maschinen MF 126 in our catalog handle blades up to 700 mm.
Bench grinder: 230 V or 400 V?
Without a three-phase supply, only 230 V, for example the Proma BKL-2000. The 250-300 mm wheel models in our catalog require 400 V.
