BR is right, the end grain is like a bundle of tiny hollow pipes that suck the oil in, same as when the tree was alive all the moisture went vertical up those same pipes. Did you use neat oil or did you cut it with turpentine? Thinned oil soaks in better, warmth helps too. Different species of wood absorb oils or stains with greater or lesser amounts of absorbecy. Also it depends wether the wood is very dry or not. I almost always find that any stain or oil when applied wont hide or improve on a poor quality finish, in fact will usually highlight it. I personally prefer to use scrapers to get a fine finish rather than sanding. Simple card scrapers or a knife with the edge turned over for more intricate control, then I usually end up with wire wool rubbing over the oil while it is still wet, then when that has had several coats, and has dried between each application, then a final polish with solvol metal polish. LOL I have done kitchen worktops that way on several ocasions..
