Christian McArdle wrote:
I really do *not* think that in the majority of cases it is necessary
to strip the old gloss off something before re-painting. Where did that
idea come from?

Exactly. It isn't necessary, but it looks much better. Have you not seen 100
year old architrave looking like a blobby mess because all the delicate fine
mouldings are encased in 20 layers of gloop.

Of course, but that has not very much to do with your statement that
it is a "cheap bodge" to paint over old gloss. It isn't in the large
majority of cases. Your 100 y.o. architrave probably looked fine
intil about 1975.