I tried oxalic acid on the dark reddish stain on my old round oak table with
no change. I then tried a strong solution of chlorine which turned part of
the stain into a soft white pulp. I rinsed it all off and let it dry but
the stain was still there. I decided that the only way I could make use of
this oak table would be to heavily sand the surface down past the stain -
but I could never get below it.

Now I'm wondering if this "stain" isn't actually a natural part of the wood,
like a knot. If it is, I'm surprised the maker of this oak table would have
used such a piece of wood in the first place since the 3" reddish area in
the center of the table sure looks like a stain. Of course there are still
traces of white paint underneath the table that must have covered up the
ugly "stain", or knot.

I'm not sure what to do now and figure my options are nil. My wife
definitely doesn't want this table in our home the way it looks, so I guess
I'll have to dispose of it in some way. Maybe an antique dealer would give
me a few bucks for it. I guess I could paint it white....

David