Rubber tubing works great too. I've got an excellent results and use WD-40 as a lubricant. About 500 or more that shine really starts to come out.
Printable View
When I hand sanded, I would work dry to 1K and then start with wd-40 and 1,2,3k and it would look pretty dang good. Usually enough to hand polish with paste metal polishes. Buffers can open a whole other ball of worms...including snatching blades from your hands and destroying them. Ask me how I know.
Yea, I sand dry, then use WD40 to finish on 1 and 2K paper.
From there, you can hand polish with 3m or Maas or the green greased stick on the buffer with a sewn cotton wheel.