No1 stock color stain, closest match for dark furniture.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Dick

You'll have better results using an alcohol based stain like Chestnut Ridge. It works on old dark wood as well as new unfinished. Try Dollar General clear ammonia for cleaning and degreasing which won't hurt anything. I wouldn't touch coachwood or any wood for that matter with any kind of oven cleaner, caustic or otherwise. Use raw linseed oil instead of boiled. It penetrates and isn't filled with chemicals to make it dry quicker.

I would agree with Brian, no aggressive chemicals should be used.

Use red scotchbrite to get the crap out of the pores and prepare for refinishing.

In the UK, I use Liberon spirit based colours, I find mid oak/dark oak mix 50/50, works well.

Oil using RLO, first coat cut 50% with terps (the reduced viscosity allows the mix to penetrate) the terps acting as rapid catalyst and evaporating quickly.

This first step gives great depth to the final finish.

Follow on with neat RLO applications until it stops sinking in, wipe off excess and buff up to a lovely semi Matt finish.