Your dealing with end grain... M
uch tougher to get the scratches
out. I think you may need to use finer paper to get the results you are after. End grain is rough by nature, it is also prone to checking and splitting. Sand them as smooth as you can, be sure they are dry and that their moisture content is close to the environment they will be used in (keep them in the house for a while) then seal them with tung oil and sand lightly with 400-600 grit paper between coats.
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