Help arrives!
I am also a member of KnifeForums, there I am known as "The Tourist."
There is a kitchen section there, but many of the members are veteran knife sharpeners, cooks and sword polishers. I also posted my problem with the nakiri there.
The conclusion was that the knife was going to have to be repaired. I had seen polishers work on 800 year old katanas, and knew that "repair" was a polite word for "unbent."
As I told them, I should have to solve my own problems. I found a wooden stepping crate a friend made for me and a discarded slat. Wrapping the knife so it wouldn't be marred, I sandwiched the cloth and knife between the step and the slat and slowly and evenly pulled with even pressure. I checked a few times to guaranty the work rendered the spine plumb.
It is now perfectly straight, no mars or scratches.
It does have a truly beautiful pattern that does not translate in the pictures, and the edge is very scary. (It will become "toasty" in the next few weeks.)
This simple procedure was quite a relief.