I just finished making a wood mail box post to replace the one someone was nice enough to run over in the middle of the night. I used sassafras to make the post and would like to know what is a good brand of exterior semi transparent stain to use? Also, being that sassafras is kind of soft could I give it a coat of wood hardener before I apply the stain so that it will not get to banged up when the snow plows come by and throw snow and ice on it this winter?

Thanks,
Dave