i typically go to 800 or 1000. From 600 on, I am only sanding lengthwise. One of the tricks to hand sanding is to not start with too course a grit. When I first started off, i would start with 120 and that took FOREVER to get the scratches out. What I do now with PITA steels like CruForge is to hit the hard to reach spots and the heavy grinder scratches with a 220 grit EDM stone and then go over the blade with some aggressive medium grit (by out standards) paper like the 280 grit Black Ice. With normal steel like 1084, I can go straight from the stones to 400 grit. I still use the stones and 240-280 grit for things like file marks when I file in swedges. I typically have tried to not go over 320 grit and usually stopped at 220 on many things on the grinder with flexible belts, but since i bought some of the Gator belts a month or so ago, I find it easier to go to finer grits like tge 45 micron, which appears to be about a 325 grit equivelant as they do not bump and leave ugly little divets like thin AO belts can and leave a much more even finish more like what i would expect from a 400 grit belt.