Yup, steeling is just using a smooth piece of "steel" to push the edge back into alignment.
The edge on infi will typically deform a bit rather than chipping or tearing out.
You can get pieces to actually get torn out, but usually it is an actually tearing not chipping. (this is only really apparent if you look under magnification).
Chips normally look like a flake of the metal popped out, and will usually leave a different color metal look in the spot where the chip came from.
When I damage my edge, I use the steel first. I use a large round polished or chromed screw driver shaft, since I don't have a nice butchers steel.
Apply repeated strokes moving from spine to edge (some have suggested putting the knife in a vise and moving the "steel" along the edge. For the love of Pete, though, be careful, because you have 10 inches of Sharp Infi wanting to take your fingers off.
I have had success with just freehanding with out clamping it in my vice.
Just spend some time with the steel first, before attempting to sharpen it back up with the sandpaper, mousepad, strop.
It will push a surprising amount of steel back into place and you will have to remove a lot less than you thing, or if you just go straight to sharpening.
The three times I have had to do this with my infi (edge spine contact on another knife, chopped a small pebble in half on accident, and pried some tacks loose from wood with the edge of one of my SS) all three would have taken longer and more sharpening if I had not used the steel method first.
Also, don't use the modern "steels" they sell with normal knife sets, the kind with the grooves running lengthwise. They actually remove metal, which you don't want at this stage.
If you can find a steel that is actually a steel (ie no grooves, or abrasives embedded in the steel......ie diamond or such).
If you can't just find a nice smooth round screwdriver. You could actually just grind the top off of one and make it your dedicated steel if you want.
Use some care as if you are using a screwdriver, you can also make some deep scratches in the blade with the screw driver head if you are not careful.
