I am new to restoring SRs. I have been reading and watching videos on hand sanding/polishing restoring SR blades. The question I have is how much imperfection should I leave on the blade? I realize the answer is probably YMMV.

A mirror finish and a lot of manipulation of the blade seem to me will increase the chance of damaging the edge. I like the idea of leaving a bit of character in the blade. Should I be aiming for a NMF? Should I leave any pitting? Is this just a cosmetic thing? Can hand sanding remove discolouration of the metal?