Antique furniture restoration! Any ideas on how to remove this damaged finish?

Question

I bought a heavily carved Japanese fern stand, approximately 200 years old. It is covered with shiny black lacquer, which is damaged, and looks bad.

I can't find anything that will remove the lacquer!

I have tried Jasco and Dad's paint stripper, acetone, paint thinner, lacquer thinner, naptha, mineral spirits and denatured alcohol.

I even tried my paint gun, and this stuff is impervious to even high heat. I have scraped the top, and find beautiful wood. I know how it could look, because my mother owned one very similar, that was a clear finish, and it was gorgeous.

Any of you restoration experts have any ideas?

Answer 1

If the lacquer is still intact, and if you care about the value of the fern stand as an antique, do >>Nothing<<. Even if the finish is quite badly damaged, removing an original surface substantially lowers the worth of the antique.

Lacquer solvent does exists, but it is extremely volatile, an extreme fire hazard, and really difficult for an inexperienced person to handle.

Leave well enough alone (polish it, love it, dust it), or else send it to someone who does this work for a living.

Answer 2

Since you have already started........

On a piece that old & if the "Japanned finish " is original, it is layed on in many thin coats.

Not a "modern" inorganic  lacquer & will not respond well to solvent type strippers.

Just as well  the solvents did not work since they could have reduced the finish to black "mud " which can stain the wood.

Would also avoid heat.

Going to be slow , but one of the heavy paste strippers that you wrap w/ plastic would  be the safest.

A strong caustic paste paste made w/ water & Mex might get things going , but can darken any bare wood it gets into & will need to be neutralized w/ a mild acid solution.

Would use plastic tools to lift rather than scrape any loosened finish.

On a piece that old & if you are committed to DIY , avoid any sanding  which dulls detail &  lightly rub w/  fine bronze wool to burnish the wood once the finish is off.

To refinish would keep it simple & use a hand  rubbed oil finish .

Sounds nice.

Best regards