I follow a routine similar to alamocdc and use the acrylic finishing pads from bgartforms and the plastic polish but for my final topcoat I use 3 applications of TSW buffed with a piece of white felt.
I have two reasons for this. First, Ren Wax is a very good product and I use it for other applications but not for pens, and I always use rubber gloves when I do use it because it contains what they refer to on their MSDS as white spirits. They further define white spirits as a combination of naphtha and benzene. Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t benzene a cancer causing agent? Is it not an agent that has been linked to birth defects? Granted the exposure is small but it can be avoided. I have also looked at acrylics and celluloid’s treated with Ren wax under high magnification and found that Ren wax does not build up nor does it cover the micro scratches that are left after the MM and plastic polish operation. In fact, it has a polishing effect that actually causes more micro scratches.
TSW on the other hand does build up and fills in a significant amount of those scratches. Next time I can get use of the scope I’m going to take a few pictures. I will admit that these scratches cannot be readily seen with the naked eye but they do have an effect on the overall luster that can be achieved.
I’m sure that if you ask 10 people you will get 10 different answers. The method that I use is pleasing to my eye, it was used on the pen that I submitted to the Pen Makers Guild and I received comments on the finish. Most importantly, my customers see the difference in a side-by-side comparison. This is my opinion, based on the unscientific tests that I have performed.