David Patnaude wrote:

1. What do you use for application and buffing? I had some cheese cloth
which seemed to work ok, but even though I think I sanded this thing
really well, the cheese cloth seems to pull apart too easily. Trying to
buff, foget it. The tackyness of the finish just pulls it apart.

Waiting too long before buffing causes tackiness. MinWax is notorious.

Try applying a light coat, waiting five minutes, then buffing. Re-oil
and buff any dry spots until the application looks uniform. Repeat
the next day as needed.