A real stain in the ass

What about it?

Sanded down this 1970s Hoosier desk and discovered the sides and top are veneer, while the edges are solid wood. Used an orbital sander followed by sandpaper with increasing levels of grit. Blew off, wiped down, let dry, used pre-stain conditioner, waited ~5min, applied stain, waited ~10min, wiped off excess. Veneer is staining beautifully, but I’ve never worked with wood that’s behaving like the corners. Blotchy in places and some crazy color variance. Sanded the middle panel all the way down again (on the top in the photo), and it looks even worse. I’m at a loss. I am using an oil-based stain. Would gel make a difference? Any other ideas?

My reading nook for the weekend, rural Washington state

My little slice of heaven!

Small hidden cabin

Created a little “Lego room” for my son, with a twinkling star ceiling!

Sunny beachfront driftwood shanty

Living room after 5 weeks

Our living room in the afternoon lights

my cozy porch where I spend most of my time

Golden Hour after Sunrise 🇨🇭

I finally have my own place again. This late day light is so cozy