restoring a finish

So i have this piece, and several others that have the same problem.
Smudges, smears, and general blotchy appearance.
I have tried cleaner/waxes/ pledge etc...

How do I do more than just clean and wax a piece?
I am looking for a step up from just cleaning.
I would like to restore finishes.
I am very handy , and have tons of tools. I also have a bit of a background
in woodworking.

I know this is a broad topic with lots of caveats. Hopefully someone here can
point me in the right direction
Thanks!
Brian

 

What I am seeing is probably too much wax build up. Clean the piece with mineral spirits to cut any wax build up. If there are any places that need touch up, hit them with a little matching stain. Re-coat with an oil varnish (Tung oil varnish preferred by me but products like Watco are OK) Let dry and re-coat if necessary. After dry, go over with a very fine steel wool to knock down imperfections. Use a paste wax to finish up. This assumes little to no finish degradation. If original finish is too far gone, you will have to strip first.

 

See, that's why my dad only put wax on our c1780 dining table once a year, if that. Lavender beeswax at that. The rest of the time, he used an old silk scarf on it, and sometimes just his bare hands. It's still lovely.

Brad, I've used Orange Glo wood cleaner to some effect, likewise liquid paraffin. Carefully.

 

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