I'd have never guessed that.
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Jim, I can't guarantee that as an unconditional statement. If anyone wants to try it out, it's at their own risk!
All I know is that, wondering if my Arisaka still had the original finish, I applied the jelly-stripper to an unobtrusive corner - just in case it did strip - and there was no visible effect. However, if one sloshes the stripper onto Urushi and leaves it for a long time - who knows? Maybe someone with a scrap Arisaka might care to try it out and let us all know?
Patrick
I took a look at that thread and I appreciate the detailed instructions. My question, though, is why it is that I want to avoid sandpaper? It seems to me that sanding would be a lot simpler and safer than gathering all those materials and dealing with volatile chemicals.
Safer for you, not the wood.
The goal is to preserve the wood and the history. Sand it all down and you’re left with a nondescript hunk of wood holding some metal bits.
Sanding is removing the original wood which can never be restored once gone. Areas not supposed to be rounded will become rounded, etc. It's how we know your rifle has no original finish under there, we can tell it's been sanded. I don't go so far as to say never use sandpaper, I rarely use sandpaper. My exception for using it always comes on rifles that someone else used sandpaper on before I got to it. Some people were never taught that you always sand with the grain, not against it and I've purchased at least two rifles that they sanded against the grain leaving obvious scratches which are extremely annoying to my sensibilities, ADHD, whatever you want to call it. So I lightly sanded them to get the cross grain scratches out.
As for removing the finish, I use Citristrip. It isn't caustic, cleans up with water, when used in the spray can easily applied and it smells pleasant to me anyway. My wife hates it. Take the stock off the rifle, remove easily removed metal, put it in the shower, spray, let sit 20 minutes and wash off with hot water and a bristle scrub brush. It also cleans soap scum off the shower walls in the process. If you need a second application, you can spray it on immediately and repeat. Usually within an hour you have a nice clean stock, a house that smells like orange peals and a slightly cleaner shower.
Now with most rifles, I use BLO after the wood drys out which surprisingly doesn't take very long in a warm house. Usually just a couple of hours. Japanese rifles I have never done this too because of their finish and never had to citristrip one of my own as none have ever been attacked by bubba. I had one that had some major dings that I just applied the oil to the dings and it came out pretty nice. Might want to try Warpigs suggestion for finishing the Japanese stock.