Question about stripping old shellac from a 1920s oak dresser

Last week I got a piece from a house in the old part of town, and the shellac was so thick it felt like plastic. I tried denatured alcohol like always, but after 3 hours it was barely lifting. My buddy Mike said to just sand it, but I'm worried about losing the original detail on the legs. Anyone have a better way to get that old shellac off without wrecking the wood?

2 comments

2 Comments

harper_singh187d ago

Mike's advice is a one way trip to ruining that dresser.

alice_hall7d ago

My cousin tried that method on a pine table last year.