Haven't yet seen a Bondi Blue axe where there has been much colour absorbed into the timber.

Headstock faces are hard to colour up as they already come very smooth and shiny. In my personal opinion if you want to colour necks and headstocks all they need is just a very light 180 or 240 to knock down any obvious lumpy bits but never bring the timber up to a sheen as that just then repels all attempts to get stain into the grain.

Share your pain with the DT blues after using steel wool, know it all too well. Andy is on the money with finer grade wet sands after a few intensifiers however I never had any luck with the top coat and reverted to a naughty product that cannot be mentioned. Tend to think the DT Neck finish may work better all round as it is supposed to cure into a harder finish.

If you are happy with the neck colour just lightly wet sand it back to take the streakiness out and proceed with DT Neck finish or another product. Both my explorers were done with DT which coloured both necks and headstocks quite well too and proves that it can be done.