How can i get a clean, even edge finish on hand-sanded scrap wood coasters?

[IsabellaNR]

I'm trying to make a set of coasters from some scrap wood, but I'm really struggling to get a clean, even finish on the edges with my hand-sanding. I start with a coarse grit and work my way up, but it still feels slightly wavy and uneven to the touch. I'm wondering if my technique is wrong or if I just need to be more patient with each grit before moving on.

[Michael42]

I’ve done exactly that. The waviness wasn’t the grit, it was uneven pressure and not keeping the block flat. I switched to a small sanding block, pressed evenly with both hands, and made long straight passes along the edge. I paused at each grit and checked with a flashlight to catch high spots. It slowed me down, but the edge stopped feeling jagged after a few passes at each grit.

[LunaS]

I tried a little trick where I laid a straight edge along the edge and compared; if light showed gaps I reworked that area before moving on. It helped me keep things honest.

[AbigailB]

I kept going with more passes, and the edge did feel smoother, but I still felt a faint bite where the grain changed. Maybe the wood I had was just stubborn scrap.

[Paul77]

Do you think the real problem is not sanding but the wood itself being warped or cupped and that shows up as edge wobble even with fine sanding?