It is very difficult to hand sharpen a piece of stock (your graver) to a V point and have the sides come out the same size.
It doesn't matter what the included angle betw the sides is, though lots of engravers like a 90* tool and that will do for much of your cutting.
Besides getting the sides to match and the included angle correct, if you do get that established, then the final step to making that into a Graver that cuts for you is relieving the bottom of each side a small distance from the point toward the back.
That is the Heel of the Graver and allows the Point to cut while allowing the area directly behind the point some clearance so it doesn't drag on the work,,especially when cutting arcs and circles.
Stoning the Heel onto the Graver is most important as it must be a correct angle and length.
It's angle will make the graver itself cut with the handle positioned comfortably in your hand, or un-necessarily high or low to the work surface.
With all that, for someone beginning and with only the Free-Hand method at their disposal to shape and sharpen their graver, I suggest they make use of the more easy to shape & sharpen FLAT graver.
It can be simple to form freehand. Easy to shape and sharpen. But then in use, the flat graver is NOT used as it is designed and named, but instead it is used as a V shaped graver by using one or either of the side edge 'points. These are 90* V edges that are naturally shaped when the Flat Graver is sharpened.
Place the flat graver on the surface with it's flat cutting edge fully in contact with the surface to be cut. But then tilt and lift the graver up on one edge or point and hold it there. That is your 90* V cutting graver.
It will cut just as any V graver and can be tilted back down to the flat graver edge to cut a wider line on that one side to create that effect.
RH engravers will usually find that planting the flat onto the RH edge point and using that as their cutting V point works best.
The Flat graver is very easy to form and sharpen free-hand.
Rough out the graver on a belt or grinding wheel if you have one. Use a ROUGH/COARSE grit and slow speed.
That cuts fast and cool but still be carefull of overheating.
Then finish up the flat graver face angle (only one face angle!) by drawing the graver backwards on a stone or diamond plate. I prefer the latter.
That'll keep it nice and flat and even. No need to be in a hurry.
For the Heel,,,turn the graver over and place it flat down on the stone or plate. Then pick the back end up to a comfortable height for cutting so only the very point is touching the stone/plate.
Now carefully and slowly draw the graver backwards but just a VERY SHORT distance.
Stop and take a look at the bottom of the point.
It should show a very short, flat HEEL at the point.
You are all ready to begin cutting.
The only thing to improve the point would be to do both operations in a finer grit to get a higher polish to the point.
The higher the polish, the brighter the cut(s).
Not always wanted depending on what you are working on, but some like their work to be all sparkley all the time.
