never reeds and wax, i burnish quite often with wood shavings and wax, comes up a treat....

the old fine brickdust is really like using a Burnishing cream, such as the "Chestnut" range burnishing stuff!

which if you run out you can always use T-cut , it is basically the same stuff, but the Chestnut is more refined!!

as for the reeds, they were probably used as material, cloth, i.e Calico was a major expense back then, as well as there being no such thing as saety cloths for polishing!!

just turned a couple of bit earlier this evening in fact... a hollow form from a section of  Ash, burnished with ash shavings and carnuba wax.. and finishing off an urn for some bods  loved ones "ashes" from some reclaimed mahogany!!!!!

well its a commision piece,

possibly, but i would have a bit of a wait!!!!!
it was/is a strange request, as far as i am concerned, the mahogany is from a place they had, and after a bad fire many years ago, they salvaged various bits of timber for the new home, got it complete a few years ago, moved in, only to find the lady owner has terminal cancer, hence he request..........they provided the mahogany, and rough sketch...however...


the lady in question is still with us, but sadly they reckon she won't see xmas!!!!

sad , but as they say and keep telling me , life goes on!!!!