Sanding or not?

[cadn24]

Your mushroom looks great! I have also seen some sand a little after painting to bring out almost a dry brush or antique look and then add your finishing coat.

[Claude]

Finished piece looks great!

Claude

[bowinhand]

Here is another technique to finish with after knife cuts is to burnish with stone, antler or hard tight grain wood. Scrapers of various shapes also smooth without sanding.

[rickm]

try sanding make it wet, let it dry and resend and 240 is too rough for basswood. Try going with the grain as much as possible and finishing with automotive sandpaper, like 1000 or 1500 you might be surprised how smooth you can get it. be patient and go over it several times.

[Brian T]

I can buy Bulldog brand XXX Coarse steel wool pads in our village hardware store. The strands are flat, not round. Apply my fist coat of whatever finish. When it's set up good and hard, I can feel some fuzzy wood fiber sticking up. The steel wool will cut like a million chisels to cut off all the fuzzies without damaging the finish!

Sand papers of all brands will shred the wood surface. The steel wool trick came as a complete surprise to me, demonstrated by a home redecorator painter doing moldings.

[Claude]

Great tip!