Man, I had a similar thing happen with a big set of mahogany corbels a few years back. Spent two days with a gouge and a mallet getting the sweep just right on the first one, then my brother tells me he could have run all eight on his little desktop mill before lunch. Told him yeah, but the machine don't stop when the grain starts to tear out funny, and that tear out is telling you something. Half the craft is listening to the wood argue with you, even if it takes all week. Took me way longer than a CNC would have, but those corbels fit the way they were supposed to because I felt every cut. Stairs are the same deal, the curve has to flow or your eye catches it every time you walk by.

Man, that smooth pull detail is what gets me. When you dip, does the wax coat the whole length even, or does it pool up and leave thicker spots you have to wipe? And how hot are you running that crock, because I tried dipping once years ago and got a stiff, gummy thread that fought me the whole way through the signatures.