Originally Posted by Charlee

Whew! Tired. Have been working all day on that Köhler cabinet. Let me just say that it's being a challenge! To start with, the Post WW2 East Germans/Russians that made this cabinet were NOT interested in craftsmanship. I'm finding more spaces where there shouldn't be any than I can shake a stick at! The finish on it, Skip and I decided, (well....Skip decided, but I agreed) is some kind of a water based poly finish. This cabinet was not a candidate for a refresh...too many areas where the finish was gone. What was left has taken TWO applications of stripper, and that's just for the finish, not the stain! It doesn't "bubble" like shellac or varnish do, and when it peels off, it comes off like dried jello, sticky, stringy, nasty and messy!
At the spousal unit's request, I won't be doing the burled walnut door, and will just do my best to refresh that...he's afraid that if I take the finish off of it, that it will fall apart...so I told him I'd leave it alone, altho it's been hard!

I finally have the stain on the top pieces....will do the main body of the cabinet later this evening, and the one part of the door will get stained tomorrow. Then I'll start in on shellac!