A Makita sharpener built around a horizontal wet wheel. The 9820-2 is made for planer and jointer knives first. Chisels and plane irons are handled through a separate holder.
It is not a knife sharpener in the pull through sense at all. It is shop equipment for anyone who resharpens their own blades.
The wheel is 7 7/8 inches across and spins at 560 RPM under a steady water drip. The standard wheel is 1000 grit.
What This Makita Sharpener Actually Is
The 9820-2 clamps a planer or jointer knife in its holder and draws it across the wheel. This keeps the edge cool and avoids the burning a dry bench grinder can cause. The included blade holder handles knives up to 15 3/4 inches long.
Water flows onto the wheel during use. The machine needs a spot near a sink or a catch tray for runoff.
The standard wheel is aluminum oxide at 1000 grit, a medium grit meant to cut fast without a coarse scratch pattern. Makita also sells a coarser 60 grit wheel and a finer 6000 grit wheel. Owners describe the wheels as easy to swap between grits.
Chisels and plane irons are not the primary job here. A separate chisel and plane iron attachment locks the tool at a fixed angle against the wheel. It works, but this Makita sharpener is still built around planer knife geometry first.
Pick the bevel before you set the attachment. It helps to work out the right bevel angle before you touch stone or wheel, then repeat that setting each time.
What Owners Report After Years of Use
Longevity comes up often in owner threads. One owner reported running their unit for roughly two decades without wanting to replace it.
That same longevity brings a maintenance issue. The wheel glazes over time and cuts slower than it did new.
Glazing happens when the wheel surface loads up with swarf and loses its bite. Owners who have run this Makita sharpener for years report a glazed wheel can turn a quick job into a slow one. Flattening the wheel regularly is the fix, not a wheel replacement.
Water handling is the most consistent complaint. The spinning wheel throws water outward during operation. Several owners describe it landing well outside the machine’s footprint.
A common fix is extending the drain tube into a catch container.
Makita 9820-2 vs Tormek T-8
The comparison that comes up most in owner discussions is against the Tormek T-8. The Tormek turns slower and is built for a wider range of edge tools. It is the more polished all rounder for chisels, plane irons, and knives, with jigs designed around each.
The Makita leans harder into planer and jointer knife work out of the box. One practical difference owners point to is cost for planer blade capability specifically.
Getting a Tormek to handle planer knives means adding a dedicated jig. The Makita includes its planer holder in the box.
For a shop that mainly needs planer and jointer edges kept sharp, the 9820-2 can be the cheaper route to that one job.
| Model | Type | Best for | Price band | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makita 9820-2 | Horizontal wet wheel, 1000 grit standard | Planer and jointer knives | Shop tool tier | |
| Tormek T-8 | Wet wheel system, wide jig range | Chisels, plane irons, knives, and edge tools generally | Shop tool tier | Price |
Tormek T-8 Original
Wider Range Pick
Wet wheel sharpening system | broad jig lineup | chisels, plane irons, knives, turning tools
The T-8 is the system to reach for when planer knives are only one job among many. Its jig range covers chisels, plane irons, scissors, and turning tools, which the Makita was never built to do. Owner reports on the Tormek line describe it as the more versatile shop investment for a mixed woodworking bench.
Pros
- Broad jig ecosystem for many edge tool types
- Slower wheel speed, gentler on temper
- Honing wheel included for a final polish
Cons
- Planer knife jig sold separately
- Higher total cost once jigs are added
Using It for Chisels and Plane Irons
The chisel and plane iron attachment turns this into a fixed angle jig against the wheel. It is fine for touch ups. It is less forgiving than a dedicated setup for getting a bench chisel back to a clean edge.
A separate honing guide still earns its place on the bench for final polishing.
A guide like the Trend or Veritas honing guide holds the iron at a consistent angle on a flat stone. It finishes the edge after the wheel does the bulk removal.
Several owners describe this two step approach as the way to get a mirror edge on plane irons. It avoids babysitting the angle by hand.
Mistakes to Skip
Do not run the wheel dry, even briefly. The water keeps the edge cool and keeps the wheel cutting cleanly. Skipping it invites a burned edge and faster glazing.
Do not expect this Makita sharpener to replace a knife sharpener for kitchen blades. It is built around planer and jointer knife geometry, not a chef’s knife edge. Our overview of the sharpener world beyond wet wheels covers the tools actually built for that job.
Do not ignore the wheel once it starts cutting slower. A glazed wheel left alone just gets worse, and a five minute dressing pass restores most of the original speed.
Some buyers just want a general purpose Makita blade sharpener without digging into wheel grits and dressing routines. Read a full spec sheet first. This is shop equipment with upkeep, not a set and forget appliance.
Where It Fits Next to Other Sharpening Machines
Shops running several types of edge tools often keep more than one sharpener around. Anyone weighing this against the broader field of motor driven sharpening tools should treat the 9820-2 as a planer and jointer specialist. It is not a do everything unit.
For plane irons, a page focused on machines built around plane iron edges lays out the alternatives.
Planer knife work has its own dedicated coverage too. The blade holder and grit choice matter more there than anywhere else on this machine. Notes focused specifically on keeping planer knives sharp go deeper on holder setup and pass count.
Readers comparing this against the Tormek line in more depth can find a full page built around the Tormek T-8 setup. Anyone wanting the wider picture can browse the full shelf of sharpening equipment we’ve covered.
The bottom line: The 9820-2 earns its keep in a shop that already runs a planer or jointer. It is a reliable way to keep those knives sharp.
It is not the tool for chisels, plane irons, or kitchen knives as a primary job. The water mess and wheel dressing routine are real ongoing chores. Buyers who need a wider jig range for mixed edge tools should look at the Tormek T-8 instead.
FAQ
What grit wheel does the Makita 9820-2 come with?
The standard wheel is aluminum oxide at 1000 grit. Coarser 60 grit and finer 6000 grit wheels are sold separately.
Does the Makita sharpener work on kitchen knives?
It can, but it is built around planer and jointer knife geometry. Shoppers wanting a dedicated kitchen edge tool should look at a purpose built knife sharpener instead.
How long does the wheel last on the 9820-2?
Owners report wheels lasting years under normal shop use. The cutting speed drops as the surface glazes. Regular dressing with a diamond flattening stone keeps it cutting close to new.
Is the Makita 9820-2 better than a Tormek?
Better depends on the job. The Makita is the more direct and often cheaper choice for planer and jointer knives. The Tormek T-8 covers a wider range of edge tools with its jig lineup.
Does it need a chisel attachment to sharpen chisels?
Yes. The chisel and plane iron holder is a separate attachment that sets a fixed angle against the wheel. Holding a chisel steady by hand against a spinning wet wheel is not practical.
Why does the Makita 9820-2 spray water everywhere?
The wet wheel flings water outward as it spins. Owners consistently report it as messy without a tray or extended drain tube. Planning for that spray before first use avoids most of the cleanup.