Here's the quick and dirty:
use wet\dry paper (it is black). Try starting at 220 grit (that etching will take a whiel to remove). Baclk the paper with something FLAT like a very hard piece of wood, or some such thing; I use micarta. If there are curvs to sand (ollow grinds, for example), it is best to shape a wood block to the curve of the hollow. Alternately, you can just use a piece of leather, but it will take longer and might not produce as even of a finish.
You'll want to go 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, and up. The lower grits take a while, so dig in and be patient. From 220-400, you can do back and forth strokes. Actually, you want to change the angle slightly with each grit change (go lengthwise with 220, widthwise with 320, lengthwise with 400), so that you can see the old grit lines disappear. From 400 and up, just do lengthwise strokes, and go in one direction only (ricasso to tip). Otherwise, you get swirlies!! I like to use baby oil when sanding, I find it speeds things up. Messy, yes. If you have access to a buffer, you can stop around 600 grit and buff. Otherwise, go as high as you want with the grits. Use paper liek it is free! Once a piece stops cutting, use a new one!
