fine polishing wood

various methods.

generally oils that are light enough to be absorbed into the wood are wiped on, and wiping it on with wet/dry sandpaper (wet sanding) leaves a really nice surface. some folks like to tank dip the piece, some even going so far as to use pressure/vacuum to get the oil to penetrate all the way into the wood. note that this can lead to loooong cure times....

wax is a wipe on/rub off proposition. if you want to power up the process a buffer will take a well sanded and sealed piece of wood to a mirror shine in no time flat, though there is a bit of a learning curve with the machine grabbing the work and flinging it across the room. good preparation is a must or you'll end up with pores filled with black gunk from the buffer that cannot be removed....

If you're polishing with an abrasive then try Surbuf pads on a ROS.

many thanks for all the help, that gives me some ideas to work with. cheers y'all David