I make a friction polish consisting of equal parts of gloss brushing lacquer, lacquer thinner, and BLO that leaves a nice soft gloss finish. Its as tough as lacquer because it is lacquer. I apply this to the turning on the lathe using either paper towel or toilet tissue, and burnish at high speed until it is dry to the touch. I let it cure for about an hour, denib with either fine abrasive or a white Scotchbrite pad, and then apply a second coat. Allow that to dry and then repeat until I am satisfied with the final result or bored with the process - usually three or four applications.
Lacquer thinner will attach some plastics. I mounted a polyethylene 35mm film canister on a turned wood handle to create a create a measure that is not affected by lacquer thinner. To avoid contaminating the original components, I start with lacquer - dipping the measuring cup in the can to fill it. Then, I pour BLO from its can into the cup, and finally pour lacquer thinner in to complete the recipe and also rinse out the cup. As a result, I only make a small batch of the final polish at a time - about 3-4 ounces , and store it in a nipple-topped polyethylene bottle. My experience is that I can use up that much finish before it starts to go bad in the bottle.
But for maximum strength, you might want to consider wipe-on polyurethane in stead of lacquer.
