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Picked up a very old Hamilton Mfg. printers chest to make my wife a jewelry box out of. Twenty one drawers with all the original matching handles and an angled top for her to lay things out on. Should be pretty cool, I hope, when done. Looking for info on what the absolute best paint/ varnish stripper available is and any tips for getting the best surface ready for fresh stain and satin clear.
Next up is the hardware. Removed the cast iron handles and all the screws and tossed them in Evaporust for a day. Upon removal I have scrubbed any remaining residue off of them with two different wire brushes. A brass brush leaves a nice bronze sheen to the cast iron and a stainless brush leaves a natural fresh cast iron finish. These will be clear coated with a matte finish automotive grade urethane clear. Question for the hive would be which one looks best?
Next question, what do I need to know about wood putty for repairing small holes and imperfections on something I plan to stain?