I finally bought the proper stuff.

Ease Release 200

Yes, you can use a wide variety of household and other compounds applied in various ways.

Or you can buy the proper stuff.

It sprays on, then dries in about 10 minutes. I sprayed three 'coats', letting dry after each.

Does the proper stuff work better than wax applied and polished off with a brush? If so, how much does it cost and is the extra juice worth the squeeze would be my next questions.

What I don't like about sprays for this application is that you can have shielded areas from protrusions on the action and that the ones I've tried (only PVA based) have made a relatively (although still very thin) layer which at the scale of actions might mean less perfect fit up.   

Does the proper stuff work better than wax applied and polished off with a brush?

I tried the polish once before, it just did not separate as easily. I don't recall anything special about the finish that time.

The finish of the bedding using the spray is mirror smooth, compared to lanolin that leaves the imprint of streaks in the bedding.

The spray is much easier to apply, gets into all nooks and crannies, and you can apply a few coats with zero buildup.

It's more forgiving, with less chance of messing up.

Definitely worth the spend for hobby tinkerers, if it helps avoid the cost of dumb mistakes.

Spray and cook  😮  ;D  ;D  worked for lazy me for 30 odd years now. Sometimes shoe polish brushed onto metal before spray and bed.