I'm assuming you're always using a spinner? I like just touching up surface by hand most of the time now unless I need to do a full resurface.

I can think of a few times I've touched up by hand at the lanes and will say it seemed to be a better result, but it didn't last more than a few frames, which I attributed to being a less efficient process. I'll go back and try that a few more times, perhaps doing it for a longer period with focus on how long it lasts....

Since lane shine was mentioned:

The Truth WHY Your Bowling Ball Changes Performance | WHAT to do about it

This is Ron Hickland talking about lane shine.

Basically he says the main cause of  "lane shine" is not so much the lane (though that does contribute to it some), But everything else the ball is rubbing against after it leaves the lane surface, Such as the ball return system etc..

For me at least, as a low rev lefty, I pretty much always see more oil and need to keep a fresh surface. Isn't conventional "science" from the brainiacs telling us that a ball lane shines to 4K within 3-5 games? Even you Luke have mentioned balls needing to be freshened, so for me on the left, it's adifferent world, and not a better one. That's why.

Some of this makes sense, and some of it doesn't.  If the ball always burns up when you sand it, this is telling you that even if you do need a fresh surface, the surface you're applying is too much.  When you sand, you also remove the track as well, the ball DOES wear small flat spots in the track area which will increase surface area in contact with the lane, and that's erased when you freshen the cover if you do much more than a light hit with 3000 or 4000.  SOME surface is usually a good idea on the left side of the lane because of how much flatter the left side plays, but I always had a lot of shiny stuff work well too because you still have a decent amount of room on a house shot and you can play closer to the gutter than a righty and keep your angles closed.  Don't forget I've got 5ish years under my belt as a lefty too, I understand the left side of the lane.  Also, unless the pattern is asymmetric, you'll always see more motion on the left side of the lane than a righty will, backends are quite a bit quicker and you can play straighter.  I could always use bigger equipment on the right side of the lane than the left despite having a lower rev rate lefty just because there's more MOTION on the left side of the lane.  Righties usually have to use bigger equipment because playing right of 8 isn't really an option, and definitely isn't after the first 6 frames of game 1 . .

If you can't create motion and can't use something shiny on the left side of the lane. . that raises pretty big questions for me.  I can understand using a bit of surface to tame down your shapes, and yeah you do need to freshen a cover occasionally, but this still sounds a little off to me. 

For me at least, as a low rev lefty, I pretty much always see more oil and need to keep a fresh surface. Isn't conventional "science" from the brainiacs telling us that a ball lane shines to 4K within 3-5 games? Even you Luke have mentioned balls needing to be freshened, so for me on the left, it's adifferent world, and not a better one. That's why.

Lefty, I agree with you mostly. I'll see your 38 years and raise you 25, but it's pretty much the same. I don't throw ANYTHING shiny, and although league conditions could be different. I use 1500 almost exclusively too.

I’m liking this conversation boys. Might as well join the party. Except my polish will ONLY be 4000 grit only.