Is grain filling a traditional practice or a modern decadence? I thought the English London finish consisted of raising the grain by repeatedly sanding, wetting and heat-drying the wood until it was as smooth to the feel after drying as after sanding; hot lindseed oil (I believe) was applied and rubbed in with the palm of the hand and rubbed again once a day for a week. The finish tends to be smooth and shiny up to a point but less flashy than modern plastic finishes and can be touched up with more oil (mixed with turps?) after wet days.