I have been diligently sanding down this antique chair I was lucky to grab at a yard sale for $5.  Yes, $5 big bucks!  It needed a bit of work but thought that I would be able to refinish the entire chair for under $30.  I used various grades of sandpaper and everytime I thought I had the perfect smooth finish - I found another spot that needed just a bit more sanding.  My Dad was a bit of a handyman and he gave me this tip - he asked me if I had done the pantyhose test?  Wrap a long piece of pantyhose around the palm of your hand and rub it over the wood.  If the pantyhose snags onto any spots, sand them until you're able to freely move the nylon over the surface without any catches.  It saves the palm of your hand will give you an ultra smooth finish!  He further shared that he applies stain into wood cervices with pantyhose as well.  At times paint brushes just do not fit into those small crevices or give them an even coating.  Just cut a strip of pantyhose from an old pair, fold it over a few times, use a rubber band to wrap it to the tip of a wooden popsicle stick or any type of long stick - dip your clever applicator into the stain or varnish - dab away and you'll have no trouble getting into those hard-to-reach areas!