One hour. That is roughly how long owners say it takes to sharpen a 36 tooth carbide blade at home. The circular saw blade sharpener Harbor Freight sold once promised that result, but buying one today is not simple.
This page covers what the machine did, what today’s listing looks like, and what owners say about carbide results. It also covers what to do if that listing stays empty.
What the circular saw blade sharpener Harbor Freight sold actually included
Harbor Freight sold the unit as a 120 volt bench sharpener, item 96687, under the Chicago Electric label. It used a diamond wheel to true up each tooth’s cutting face. Owners set blade diameter and tooth angle by hand, using nuts and a wrench rather than dial adjustments.
The design targeted carbide tipped blades, the kind found on most contractor and cabinet saws today. Steel toothed blades can go through the same wheel, though they still dull faster than carbide over normal use. The real advantage of a machine like this only shows up on carbide.
Why the listing has changed
Harbor Freight’s saw blade sharpener page now lists only replacement wheels, priced under $10. The sharpener itself, item 96687, no longer has a working product page on harborfreight.com. That pattern usually means the tool was discontinued, even though the brand still sells parts for existing owners.
This matters if you want a circular saw blade sharpener Harbor Freight sold, in new condition today. It does not appear to be sold as a new unit right now. Anyone who already owns one can still order replacement wheels through the same category page.
What owners report about the results
Owner accounts of the circular saw blade sharpener Harbor Freight sold tend to agree on a few points. One owner who used the machine for eight years sharpened a full 36 tooth blade in about an hour. The diamond wheel left light striations on the carbide, but the blade cut clean afterward.
Squaring each tooth to the wheel is the slow part, done by eye with a square. Some owners check contact by coating the tooth face with marker ink first. That extra step catches uneven grinding before it ruins a tooth.
The recurring verdict is that this tool suits a patient hobbyist rather than a production shop. Results read as functional, not polished. Nobody claims it matches a dedicated carbide grinding machine built for shop use.
Carbide versus steel blade limits
Carbide tipped blades are the main use case, and the diamond wheel is built for that hardness. Steel blades can run through the same machine, but a bench grinder or file often works just as well. Carbide is where a sharpener like this actually earns its keep.
Thin kerf and combination blades add another wrinkle. Thin carbide tips leave less material before a tooth is ground away completely. Owners who sharpen thin kerf blades often report shorter blade life overall.
That is a tradeoff of repeated sharpening in general, not a flaw unique to this machine. For the general process, see the general method for touching up a circular saw blade.
Mistakes that waste time on this machine
Rushing the initial squaring is the biggest mistake, since every tooth after that copies the same error. Grinding one tooth more than its neighbors is the second mistake, and it throws off blade balance. A blade that vibrates after sharpening usually has uneven teeth rather than a dull edge.
- Skipping the marker ink check on the first few teeth
- Grinding carbide dry for long stretches without checking for heat buildup
- Trying to sharpen a warped or cracked blade instead of replacing it
Other Harbor Freight sharpening tools worth knowing about
Harbor Freight has sold budget sharpeners across several tool categories, not just circular saw blades. The brand also has a chainsaw specific unit; see how Harbor Freight’s chainsaw sharpening tool compares. There is a separate page covering Harbor Freight’s take on knife sharpening for kitchen and utility blades.
Harbor Freight’s drill bit sharpener covers drill bits with the same budget hardware and manual setup. Our saw blade sharpening page covers the fundamentals of keeping any saw blade cutting cleanly, across every format. For the wider picture, every class of blade sharpener we cover on the site lines up side by side.
Where to look if you need a blade sharpened now
With the original sharpener no longer listed for sale, a few paths remain open. A local saw shop that already services table saws and miter saws can usually sharpen carbide blades on request. Mail in sharpening services exist too, though turnaround time varies by shop.
If you want to grind blades yourself, other brands still sell current circular saw blade sharpeners on the market. Pricing runs from under $50 for basic bench units up to several hundred dollars for shop grade machines. Match the price to how often you actually plan to use it.
The bottom line: The circular saw blade sharpener Harbor Freight sold was a budget tool for patient owners, not a production shop. It does not appear to be sold new right now. If you want similar capability today, look at current models from other brands or use a sharpening service.
Frequently asked questions
Is the circular saw blade sharpener Harbor Freight sold still available?
Not as a new unit. Harbor Freight’s current saw blade sharpener listing shows only replacement grinding wheels, not the machine itself.
Does it work on carbide tipped blades?
Yes, that is its main purpose. The diamond wheel is built to grind carbide. Owner reports describe workable results once it is set up correctly.
How long does sharpening a full blade take?
Roughly an hour for a 36 tooth blade, based on owner accounts, once you know the squaring step. The first blade you sharpen will likely take longer while you learn the process.
Can you still buy replacement parts?
Yes. Harbor Freight still sells replacement grinding wheels for the 120 volt sharpener. The sharpener itself is not currently listed.
What is the biggest complaint about this machine?
The recurring complaint is that adjustments rely on nuts and a wrench instead of precise dials. That makes squaring each tooth slower and more manual than on shop grade equipment.
Should steel blades go through this machine too?
They can, but a bench grinder or file often handles soft steel teeth just as well. The carbide wheel is what makes a machine like this worth using.
Browse more Harbor Freight tool breakdowns on the site for other budget tools like this one.
Sources
- Harbor Freight: Metalworking Saw Blade Sharpeners category listing, current product availability. https://www.harborfreight.com/collections/metalworking/metalworking-accessories/saw-blade-sharpeners.html