Removing a finish

[Jerry Lear]

I turned a walnut vase. After sanding, I applied Yorkshire grit and 5 coats of General Wood Bowl Finish. Evidently, I did not wait long enough between coats and the finish did not completely dry. Not realizing it was not dry, I attempted to buff it and in a number of places, some of the finish was buffed off. I think the only way to salvage the vase is to remove the finish and start over. Aside from sanding the finish off, is there anything I can do to get some of the finished removed to reduce sanding time? As I am sure you know, this is a oil/varnish base finish.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Jerry

[Richard Coers]

The bowl finish will mostly come off with lacquer thinner, but I would be concerned about the wax in the Yorkshire grit. It may just thin it out and let it soak into the pores of the wood.

[John Keeton]

According to the SDS the ingredients in the General finish consist of petroleum distillates and solvents. There is no varnish listed. I think your problem is that this isn’t a film finish and probably will not respond well to being buffed. In fact, it is designed to permit additional rejuvenation by additional coats over time as needed. Renewable finishes would not be something I would use on a vase.