I have a vintage walnut dining room set. I have been using oil on it yearly, but it's been suggested to me that paste wax would be better. It has the original finish, but I don't know what that is. Only that it is porous, as oil soaks in. It has a slight sheen and no obvious visible coat. Whatever might have been used on American furniture from the 1930's.
It is not damaged. There is no checking or cracks in the surface. It does not need refinishing. I have refinished quite a few pieces and this doesn't even look close to needing refinishing. That said, the carved details (turnings and carved apron), start to look dry after a while. Those are not in a position of wear so I don't see how the finish could be gone on those, where the tops (veneer) should potentially be in a position of wear, yet show no wear. The turnings and carvings are obviously solid wood vs. the flat areas are veneer. That's the only difference I can see to explain why the former might look dry. Some end grain exposed? I hope that's clear.
I posted earlier asking about better oils to use on it, but paste wax was suggested, so I thought it was best to start a new thread.
Plugging "paste wax" into the search box only turned up threads related to applying it to tools. I have an old yellow can of Johnson's I used back in school a decade + ago. Though I can't remember what project it was for and whether I liked the results.
In any event, I really like this set and if paste wax will keep the dry parts looking better, that's what I'll buy. Thanks for your suggestions.