Best Varnish Stripping Product?

[Macymae_old]

I've tried several paint and varnish strippers lately and so far not that satisfied. Might there be one or two varnish strippers available that stand above all the rest? I haven't tried Aqua Strip yet and have heard good reports on that product.

 

[pklonowski]

Methylene chloride. Not environmentally friendly, but nothing works like it.

I used three gallons of safer strippers on a canoe, and got maybe 1/4 of it done, with much time and effort spent towards that. Then I gave up & got the good stuff. Less than 1/2 gallon stripped off the rest of the canoe, with far less effort and time spent.

Take precautions as described on the can -- you don't want to breathe this stuff. But it peeled through five coats of paint and the original varnish in ten minutes.

 

[Dave Osborn]

I used Aqua Strip on a war canoe with pretty good success. Regular sized canoe I have commercially stripped.

 

[Gil Cramer]

Maumee Valley Restorations, (419) 592-4900 is the best stripper that I've seen. $20/running foot for a varnished canoe. In in the morning, out in the afternoon. I've used a lot of strippers, but Rob is the best.