Japanese polishing method

[Don Schwartz]

At about 35 secs into this video, the turner applies a shaped solid material to a finished bowl, presumably an abrasive meant to polish the surface. Any suggestion as to what he using?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Y-ysUp7Ng

Don

 

[Webb Willmott]

Looks like carnauba wax.

 

[Mike Novak]

Shellac sticks?

 

[Don Schwartz]

Looks like carnauba wax.

Yes. If I had waited longer, I would have known that. Thing is that it is darker than any carnauba I've seen before.