I use the BIX stripper that uses mineral spirits as a cleaner after stripping. If you use the water base stripper, it will raise the grain in the wood and require a lot of sanding to get the wood smooth again.
I use coars steel wool to remove paint after using putty knife to get rid of the bulk of the paint. apply another coat of stripper and use 4-O (fine) steel wool for the final stripping. wash with the mineral spirits and dry with Scott’s rags-in-a-box.
Stain with any oil based stain, again to prevent raising the wood grain, following the instructions on the can. I normally use either Verathane or minwax stains.
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