Byrd Robin Grind angle

It should be 15 degree per side. If this is your Robin, you can use the Sharpie trick to verify its angle.
 
Thanks. Darn my lansky only goes to 17. It is mine. I'm not very good at sharpening yet and I don't want to ruin the grind, but this thing came too dull to cut anything. Think it's worth the risk to go freehand?
 
If the knife is 15 degree per side and you are grinding it at 17 degree, you'd be sharpening the edge just fine (It does't work the the other way around as you will just be grinding away the bevel's shoulder).

I am terrible at freehanding and am using a Japanese waterstone on cheap knives. Not sure if you want to go that route with your Robin.
 
Your grind could be anything from 15 to 25+ degrees, they don't use guided sharpeners at the factory. The sharpie trick is one of the best ways to see where you are grinding but a few strokes with a coarse stone and watching the scratch pattern will do the same thing if you know what to look for.
 
I haven't tried it yet so if anyone can correct me please do, but the way I understand it is you color the grind of the blade with a sharpie to see how well you are following it. If you are sharpening it evenly all of the ink will be rubbed off, but if the wear pattern is uneven you need to readjust.

I'm not very good at sharpening yet and I would hate to ruin the edge of a new knife but I may have to bite the bullet and practice with this one. If not using a clamp should I grip the blade itself with one hand or is it ok to hold it by the handle. I don't want to cause the pivot/lock any undue stress due to the lateral pressure from the stone.
 
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The sharpie trick is a way to see where on the blade your sharpening is removing steel. You color the bevel of the blade (the small flat strip along the edge of the blade where it angles down to the actual sharp part) with a sharpie. Then, you sharpen the knife for a short while. Then, look at the bevel to see where the marker has been worn away to reveal the shiny metal underneath. If the angle at which you're sharpening matches the angle of the bevel, then you'll see that all of the marker is removed. If your angle is larger than that of the existing bevel, then you will only see a small sliver of shiny metal right at the edge. Conversely if your angle is shallower than the existing bevel, then you'll see a small sliver of shine at the top of the bevel, away from the edge.

If you want to rebevel a knife to a new angle, then you can use this trick to show you how much further you have to go. It's a great way to figure out why your sharpening isn't producing that razor sharp edge you thought you were making.
 
Locust said:
I haven't tried it yet so if anyone can correct me please do, but the way I understand it is you color the grind of the blade with a sharpie to see how well you are following it. If you are sharpening it evenly all of the ink will be rubbed off, but if the wear pattern is uneven you need to readjust.

I'm not very good at sharpening yet and I would hate to ruin the edge of a new knife but I may have to bite the bullet and practice with this one. If not using a clamp should I grip the blade itself with one hand or is it ok to hold it by the handle. I don't want to cause the pivot/lock any undue stress due to the lateral pressure from the stone.
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If you are putting lateral stress on the pivot, you are using way too much pressure when you sharpen. Hold the knife by the handle and use smooth, light strokes. Let the abrasives do their job. Be patient, the results are worth the extra time, and the amount of extra time is really not that much.
 
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