On Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:31:23 -0400, Norminn
wrote:

On 4/15/2012 7:27 AM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
On Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:48:22 -0400,
wrote:

On 4/14/2012 1:32 PM, wrote:
It could be milk based (casein based)

If it's casein based, it will require a lye mix to remove it and rinse with vinegar. Horrible job and dangerous.

To test to see if it is some sort of auto body finish, try softening/removing a small spot with a touch of brake fluid, see what happens.

Otherwise, you may be stuck with lots of tough scraping and sanding.

Sonny

This isn't opaque paint...don't think milk paint comes "clear". I've
read that ammonia removes milk paint, but if I had something with
authentic old milk paint I'd not likely refinish it. Ennyhoo, this
stuff is coming off, and it isn't horribly hard. I don't sand, don't
like to .. son's cabinets, he'll do the rest.

my first 2 thoughts, given the era were; 1. Spar varnish, and 2;
polyurethane.

Both are fairly soft-- can you dent it with a fingernail? Spar
varnish was recommended for a lot of projects in the 50's. I don't
think it makes a real pretty finish-- but it is likely to last 50
years without looking any the worse for wear.

The early poly's were like liquid plastic. abrasion was the only
thing to remove them.

Jim

It really must be some sort of plastic....not spar (too thin and hard).
Mebbe there was some kind of baked-on finish in those days? It isn't
the same on all doors, although they look the same?! Most of my
refinishing has been older stuff. )

I re-use the stripper for the first application until it is too thick
and gooey to apply. When my first gallon was used up, I dumped it into
a foil pan to dry up before disposing. Set that outside on the deck.
Couple hours later the sun had come around and the stuff was bubbling
like mad...scared me at first, but it was just apparently the solvent
evaporating. Wonder what the boiling point is? )

I grabbed a gallon of mineral spirits whilst at the hardware store.
Ignored the "odor free" (slow learner)...poured some out to clean the
stripped wood and the stuff looks like MILK, white and opaque. What
next? Can't they leave ANYTHING alone?
Get "aircraft stripper" - it is made to remove poly-urethane finishes
and it works pretty well. The finish will come off like brown sugar.

I made the mistake of applying poly to an antique sideboard and had to
strip it off. That is the only stuff I could find that would touch it.
Nasty job, but a LOT easier than sanding that stuff!!!!