Question re wood finishing

[Hex]

I have 2 projects I am working on.

1) Restoring a wooden handled brush that will be painted with Rustoleum

2) Learning how to make pens using only a drill press.

I bought some cheap blanks and pen parts to practice on and I am getting better. I am to the point where I sand, finish, wax, etc.
I sanded the pen from 120 through 1000 and it's looking pretty good to my unskilled eye.

I am not sure about the next steps.

For the pen, I have some 0000 wool, Tripoli EEE and Clear Lacquer Turner Polish.
1) I am thinking the 0000 is another smoothing product and is not needed since I sanded to 1000. Yes or no.
2) Isn't the Tripoli EEE a mildly abrasive compound which will do more smoothing ? Will it make the wood smoother and perhaps coat/protect it ?
3) Is the Clear Lacquer the final protective coat ?

I am guessing a sequence of 0000, EEE, Lacquer. What say you ?
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For the brush, I have it sanded and am painting it now. I plan on doing sanding in between coats, repaint, sand, etc.
Would I go through a progression of grits winding up at 1000, then apply the Lacquer, or would the EEE come into play here ?

Lots of questions and I guess it's obvious that I am a stone cold newbie.

 

[Trenton]

George:
I'm no pro at this but as I understand you are only sanding between paint coats to clean up the surface and so the next coat has a bit of bite. You must be careful not to sand through the high spots. Once you have the final paint you clear coat and it is this coat that you really polish. before you put on the clear finish you must make sure is compatible with the paint. Lacquer should be okay on acrylic (although I'm not positive) and lacquer. When sanding the clear the first sanding is to smooth the finish don't sand any deeper, the next grit you sand to take out the courser grit marks and you carry on to the finest grid of sand paper taking out the previous grits marks. Wet sanding is nice and it keeps the surface cooler. I really can't remember what grid I went to I though 1200 maybe 1500 on the clear. I then went to liquid polishing compounds, a red then a cream coloured one that I believe was called Final Glaze. I did this on furniture so not quite the same and it was 25 years ago. I do remember the finished product looked pretty good. the big thing to remember is not to over work the surface or like it get hot (Friction).

I only use 0000 steel wool for a satin finish.

I hope this helps

Daryl