Ahhhhh you are still working that blade...
OK etching/engraving if you can feel the pattern imprinted in the blade then perhaps you can keep it
I have found the the Murphy's law of etching/engraving is that the pitting is most likely deeper then the design...
The absolute safest method for keeping engraving is the tumbler method, and it will even wipe out etching or wash...
There just is no perfect scenario, to remove pitting one must remove metal, remove metal and you can loose the designs...
Now the tumbler will polish the metal and pits equally so that the pitting looks better but it will still be there...
hope that helps...