My old boss told me to never use steel wool on walnut, but a tricky piece proved him wrong

Honestly, he said it would leave tiny gray bits in the grain that you could never get out. I had this 1920s walnut dresser with a super gummy old finish, and nothing else was cutting through it. Out of ideas, I tried 0000 steel wool with mineral spirits on a small spot. Ngl, it worked perfectly and left a smooth, clean surface ready for oil. Has anyone else found a time where the 'never do this' rule didn't apply?

5 comments

5 Comments

cole_murphy4d ago

Honestly, I was totally on your boss's side until I tried it myself on a sticky old desk last year. @erickelly, your grandpa's turpentine and linseed oil mix is next on my list if steel wool ever lets me down.

ryant502mo ago

Tbh, had the same thing happen with an old oak table. That sticky varnish just laughed at sandpaper. Used steel wool with some paint thinner as a last resort and it came up clean. Sometimes you just gotta break the rules.

erickelly2mo ago

My grandpa swore by a mix of turpentine and boiled linseed oil for stubborn varnish.

nancy3262mo ago

Wait, so you're telling me the secret to refinishing furniture is just ignoring all the instructions? I tried to be so careful with a chair last year, used the "right" stripper and sanded for hours. It looked worse than when I started, like a sad, sticky monster. My partner still calls it my arts and crafts failure. Maybe I should have just gone straight for the paint thinner and chaos.

anthonynelson4d ago

Hang on, hold up. Your partner still calls it an arts and crafts failure? Like, they gave it a permanent name and everything? That's brutal but also kind of funny. I've got a bookcase in my garage that my wife calls "the silent hill of shelving" because it came out looking so cursed. At least you got a story out of it, even if the chair is a sticky nightmare.