Best varnish remover

Try the local big box or paint store; there are dozens of varnish and paint removers on the market.

Jim
 
If the varnish is old and maybe on the brittle side, I'd more than likely scrape the varnish off first and then use a cloth rag with some brand of antique finish/furniture restorer to wipe down the wood. Can use a fine steel wool with it, but I prefer to use a fine scotchbrite pad. Restorer stuff, dissolves varnish, so any varnish still on the wood or in its grain will be affected. Stuff drys rather quickly and if you use it right, most of the old coat of varnish will be removed, leaving a thin clean coat of it on the wood.
 
Good option !!!

If the varnish is old and maybe on the brittle side, I'd more than likely scrape the varnish off first
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Not sure I entirely understand why, but a lot of folks don't know or use this method. The first thing I do, is to test the surface and if I can get away with scraping, I certainly do so. It can get dusty but not as messy as there is little gunk to clean up. It's also faster and less expensive. Then after scraping, I go ahead and strip, sand or do whatever, eventually cleaning up with mineral spirits.. ... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
I use denatured alcohol and some fine steel wool 0000. Wet the wool and just work in one spot at a time. Takes time but the end results are worth it.
 
What wogpotter and Fatal Wound stated, also have a roll of paper towels on hand to remove as much as possible as you are going along with the denatured alcohol and steel wool pads.
 
I find that "J-Cloths" work better, being closer to "lint free" & green "Scotchbrite" is even gentler than steel wool.

Other than that I agree completely!:D
 
Do not do as I do, for most the world evolves around chemicals. I have finished a lot of finishes without removing. I have finishes that were dissolved and rearranged without removing. Other times I have used razor blades, refinish an up-right grand without sanding, sanding creates work, I am a fan of scraping.

Again, do not do as I do. I dug a maple kitchen table out of a dumpster, no legs. I went into the fine establishment that threw the table away and ask them if they when were they going to throw the legs away. I paid them $5.00 for the legs.

Air plane propellers, I have one that goes back to about 1914, careful! do not remove labels, like pianos, some of the labels are no longer available.

F. Guffey
 
Yes, I have restored and worked on numerous antique clock cases going back to the early 1800's which were originally finished with dry shellacs (most frequently orange shellac). The dry shellac particles are mixed with denatured alcohol to form the wet solution which is applied to the surface. In the event the old surface is simply crackled it can be lightly touched up with the original finish by lightly smearing, for the lack of a better term, the old finish as opposed to removed with denatured alcohol.

Often times this is not possible and there are times when there maybe veneer surfaces that have to be patched or repaired and new finish added.

I am not sure dry shellac is the best finish for a stock but denatured alcohol is a good start for non-aggressive removal.
 
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