Old Mahogany

[tinfoil]

I am in the process off cleaning up an old jardiniere (see 'New Old Kid On The Block' in the General Woodworking forum). It is mahogany and the top looks like this now that the paint is removed:



There are areas where the mahogany is soft and indented:



Is there a recommended way of dealing with these patches? I could just sand the surface down until they have gone I suppose, but the worry is that so much will have to be taken away that I'll begin to loose the definition of the edge moulding. Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Slim]

Are they gouges or dents. If they are dents, you could try using a steam iron.

 

[tinfoil]

They are dents, but the mahogany in these small patches feels soft - almost spongy. I wonder whether steaming/ironing would work.........