Here is a good discussion of the topic:

http://daggers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/477091573/m/9710099764

The crossgraining can be removed with aggressive cleaning with a product like semichrome. It's interesting to note that some manufacturers, and perhaps some individual craftsmen employed by manufacturers took the time to polish the blade after the crossgraining stage. These blades are beautiful and ususally only have light crossgraining. You can tell the difference between one of these blades and one that has been too aggressively cleaned by looking closely at the motto etch. The original polished blades will have crisp edges to the letters of the motto and crisp frosting within. Blades polished on a wheel post manufacture will often show the frosting polished out at the high points and the edges of the letters will be rounded.