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Stripping a stock before refinishing

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10 comments

  • brier-49
    Formbys Furniture refinisher.
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  • 11b6r
    Agree with what he said ^^^- but be careful- stuff is VERY flammable- read the label.
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  • perry shooter
    Count me as also among the people that like Formby's [^]
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  • tomon
    I've heard of EasyOFF oven cleaner doing a good job. That would be the old fashion stuff, not the non-caustic variety.
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  • slumlord44
    Not too sure about oven cleaner. Most any good comercial paint striper will do the job. Good gloves and proper ventlation are a must.
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  • b0400879
    quote:Originally posted by tomon
    .... EasyOFF oven cleaner doing a good job. That would be the old fashion stuff, not the non-caustic variety.


    As a hard rule: household/generic oven cleaners contain Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), aka lye/caustic soda. Very harsh on vintage lumber.

    A personal favorite is Citristrip.
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  • nononsense
    pfm41,

    If this is your first venture into stock work, I strongly suggest doing some reading on the techniques involved in refinishing stocks first before jumping into the project. The old adage 'once removed, can't be put back' comes into play. Study first, practice second then tackle the real thing. The fit of the stock will determine its performance in the field. A poor fit can result in a split stock.

    In answer to your question, all of the suggested products will work to a lesser or greater extent. Even oven cleaner will perform on most of the older finishes but there is the potential for some very minor discoloration on the dry wood. It will disappear with judicious sanding.

    The most expeditious method is to take it to a commercial furniture re-finisher who does fine furniture and antiques. I am fortunate to have one such company right down the street from me but they may be harder to find in other towns.

    Best.
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  • Hangfire
    quote:Originally posted by nononsense
    pfm41,

    If this is your first venture into stock work, I strongly suggest doing some reading on the techniques involved in refinishing stocks first before jumping into the project. The old adage 'once removed, can't be put back' comes into play. Study first, practice second then tackle the real thing. The fit of the stock will determine its performance in the field. A poor fit can result in a split stock.

    In answer to your question, all of the suggested products will work to a lesser or greater extent. Even oven cleaner will perform on most of the older finishes but there is the potential for some very minor discoloration on the dry wood. It will disappear with judicious sanding.

    The most expeditious method is to take it to a commercial furniture re-finisher who does fine furniture and antiques. I am fortunate to have one such company right down the street from me but they may be harder to find in other towns.

    Best.




    Excellent advice.. Find someone who works on antiques/fine furniture.. If you want to do it yourself, goto your local hardware store and get a small can of remover that doesn't require a water rinse.. Oven Cleaner?? please don't.. methylene chloride is the key ingredient.. Apply the remover, then use lacquer thinner, or MEK to flush off the residue..
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  • Beebo
    I have done many-many stocks. I use Citrus Stripper Gel from Walmart or wherever. It is gentle and no fumes. Smear it on, scrub it around a bit and then scrape it off. Repeat as necessary.
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  • k.stanonik
    Kleenstrip makes a product called Peeler, comes in spray form and used mostly in automotive.
    Spray it on, gets into crevices, wait for it to bubble then scrape with plastic puddy knife, wipe with MEk and sand
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