If anyone relies on the Beale buff system to remove
visible imperfections, then the problem isn't the Beale buff system......this boils down to preparation of the surface prior to that point. As was mentioned in this thread, the Beale buff is a progressive method of applying two very fine grits of polishing compounds prior to applying the Carnauba wax polish......but, the thing that is important to grasp, is if you can see imperfections, the Beale buff method will seldom remove it. It will make it slightly better, but a finish that you cannot see imperfections is what is needed to begin with.
For an example that most every turner can understand...... If you fail to get the best surface you can get at 220gt, then it's darn near impossible to remove it once you're working on 400, or 600. The problem isn't with the 400 or 600 papers......the problem is with the preparation of that surface
prior to using 400, or 600 grits.
The Beale buff system improves the finish with each step, but the key, once again, is it doesn't do well with removing anything you can see with your eye. Always check the surface under a good light source, and tilt the bowl so that you can see the surface with the light at several different angles. Sometimes an imperfect surface will look fine......until you get a good look with the light coming from a different angle.
You can improve that surface either before or after an application of Danish oil (My preferred finish). With bare wood, the solution is to go back to whatever grit necessary, and remove it. Then progress as usual through the finer grits. It's not required with every bowl, but sometimes sanding requires a final step of random orbital sanding.......for me, usually at 400 grit.
Sometimes scratches, swirls, imperfections are much more noticeable after an application of finish. It's best to deal with bare wood, but after the finish is applied (and dry), very fine imperfections can still be removed with a re-application of the finish, and wet-sanding with 0000 steel wool. It can be done by hand for very minor touch-up, but I've been using a variable speed drill at a
very slow speed to speed up wet-sanding to a reasonable amount of time doing it. The steel wool is used off the lathe, and on a stationary bowl.
Remember, the Beale buff progressively makes a surface better, but doesn't do well with
visible imperfections. If you've already applied the Beale buff.....then your "goose is cooked". The only thing you can do, at that point, is to go back to some fine sandpapers.....then re-apply the finish. Due to my turning methods, it's one heck of a major operation to re-sand on the lathe.......so, if you've gone this far and haven't dealt with imperfections at the earliest possible point that it can be done, the only thing left that can be done is re-sand a stationary bowl. Aaaargh!
There is a sign on the wall where I work. It says "Do it right, the first time". That applies with each and every step of turning bowls on a lathe. It's much easier to go forward.......than backwards!
ooc