Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to use a circular saw blade sharpener on the bench

Updated: 22 October 2026

You have the Draper Storm Force 98486 on the bench and you want the order of work for a circular blade. This page follows the Draper manual and the amazon.co.uk reviews of B0B8N55PPB in the [saw blade sharpener comparison](/hub/saw-accessories/saw-blade-sharpener). The card is £89.99, 230 V and 110 W in the title, 90–400 mm, 0–25°, with 100 mm diamond and ceramic discs. Nothing here is a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. If the blade should go to a service, read the [TCT saw blade sharpening service](/hub/saw-accessories/saw-blade-sharpener/sub/saw-blade-sharpener-tct-or-service) page first.

You have the Draper Storm Force 98486 on the bench and you want the order of work for a circular blade.

Our top picks

WYZBEN WYZBEN feather-edge file

Best overall

WYZBEN WYZBEN feather-edge file
8.8/10about £4.89
View offer
Bahco Bahco IRSHARP-INS

Rank 2

Bahco Bahco IRSHARP-INS
8.8/10about £13.75
View offer
Draper Draper Storm Force 98486

Alternative

Draper Draper Storm Force 98486
7.2/10about £89.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before the switch
  2. 2.Diamond for carbide, ceramic for steel
  3. 3.One tooth, then the next
  4. 4.Stop rules

Before the switch

Bolt the machine down first. The manual’s scope is domestic use or infrequent light trade, and anything else is misuse. The body is Class II. The manual says the machine has an approved plug and a BS 1362 fuse. The amazon card does not state the plug type, so that claim is the manual. Bench bolts are not in the box. Card weight is 4.91 kg and the manual says 5.4 kg. Fit the perspex shield and wear eye protection. Use an RCD if the only place you can work is damp. Unplug before a wheel change. At work, abrasive wheels sit under PUWER 1998 and HSG17. This sequence is not that training. A new wheel that vibrates is a stop. No-load speed is not on the card. The manual prints 5,700 r/min. Some seller pages print 5,800 rpm. Quote the source. The wheel in the manual is 100 × 1.2 × 20 mm.

Diamond for carbide, ceramic for steel

The manual shows the diamond disc on the TCT face and the ceramic disc on HSS. Do not grind carbide with ceramic. The stone must not enter the gullet, and the 0–25° scale does not restore a factory rake. The feed is by hand. For 90 mm the motor goes back. For 230 mm it goes forward so it misses the arm. For 400 mm it goes forward and the arm stays clear of the pin nut. Set the blade stop under slight pressure before you switch on.
WYZBEN WYZBEN feather-edge file

Testsieger

WYZBEN WYZBEN feather-edge file
8.8/10about £4.89
View offer

One tooth, then the next

Switch on, bring the wheel onto one tooth, pull back, and index to the next. Do not sweep along the plate. Leave the depth gauge alone. For set teeth, grind every alternate tooth, reverse the angle, then do the teeth you skipped. Mark the first tooth. UK reviews, 3.6 from 15, say the carriage is a poor fit and the blade still moves with the dials tight. One buyer replaced the clamps. Another rounded the Allen-key screw on the guide pin. If the plate creeps, stop. A bar under the carriage is not a procedure to copy. If the machine falls apart before half a blade is finished, unplug it. Whether it was worth buying is on the best saw blade sharpener page.

Stop rules

Stop when the plate moves, even if the clamps feel tight. Stop when a carbide tip is cracked or missing. The diamond disc is for a sound face. Stop when a new wheel vibrates, and stop when the plate has blued. Heat colour means the tooth has already been overheated. Do not use this machine on a hand saw, an insulation saw, or an oscillating blade. A finished circuit on a creeping plate is a failed job. If the tips are damaged, the next step is a UK regrind or a replacement, not another pass with the ceramic disc.

Common questions

What order do I follow on the Draper 98486?
Bolt it down, fit the shield, wear eye protection, and unplug before a wheel change. Use diamond on a TCT face or ceramic on HSS. Set the motor for 90 mm, 230 mm, or 400 mm, and keep the stone out of the gullet. Grind one tooth, pull back, and index. On set teeth, do every other tooth, then reverse the angle. Stop if the plate creeps.
Which disc is for a TCT tooth and which is for HSS?
The manual shows the diamond-coated disc on the TCT face and the ceramic disc on the HSS face and back. Both discs in the box are 100 mm. The amazon card says the ceramic disc is for non-TCT blades. Do not use ceramic on carbide. The face you grind should be parallel to the side of the stone, and the stone must not bottom in the gullet.
How do I set the machine for a 90 mm, 230 mm, or 400 mm blade?
The manual’s examples put the motor back for 90 mm, forward for 230 mm so it misses the arm, and forward for 400 mm with the arm clear of the pin nut. Set the blade stop under slight pressure before you switch on. The card’s range is 90–400 mm and 0–25°. Those degree marks are the listing’s adjustment, not a restored factory rake.
What do I do if the blade still moves when the clamps are tight?
Stop and unplug. UK reviews say the carriage has large play on the rod guides and the blade still moves with the dials fully tight. One machine was returned before half a blade was finished. Do not keep grinding while the plate creeps, and do not copy a reviewer’s slack-bar as a fix. A moving plate means the circuit is invalid.
Does the card state the no-load speed and the plug?
No. Plug type and no-load speed are not on the amazon.co.uk card. The manual prints 5,700 r/min, an approved plug, and a BS 1362 fuse. Some Draper seller pages print 5,800 rpm, so name the source. Card weight is 4.91 kg and the manual says 5.4 kg. Eye protection, the shield, and an RCD in a damp place also come from the manual.

Related pages

Saw blade sharpener buying guide

Saw blade sharpener

Best saw blade sharpener UK: one pick, and one skip

Sharpen a hand saw with a file, or replace the blade

TCT saw blade: UK sharpening service or a home disc

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings stored for this comparison on 20 October 2026. Page updated 22 October 2026.

  1. Draper 98486 product page (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. Draper 98486 instruction manual (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. HSE HSG17: abrasive wheels and PUWER (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. HSE SR21: grinding dust at work (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. Saw-Tech: TCT versus HSS saw blades (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. Revivablade multi-tool blade sharpener instructions (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Paul Sellers: saw files (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk listings B0B8N55PPB, B006TTX1SE, B0D3CDNRYM and B07KGG1CZW (retrieved 20 October 2026)