Staining a Previously Painted Wood

[bra]

Hi,
My mom found an old chest of drawers, very sturdy, no cracks, nice solid wood built. This thing was painted black. I cannot imagine who would have painted this piece of furniture black and how it could have enhanced the interior decorations in doing so. Maybe that is why my mom "found" it set out. She put a little solvent on it and it revealed a nice pretty dark colored wood. We'd like to maybe stain or protect it after we get all the paint off.
Can you give some do it yourself tips for finishing a previously painted wood?

 

[echos]

Hello Bra, Alot of the early 20th century furniture was laqured black. Really awful . I have had several chests and 1-high boy laqured black. The wood on my pieces is oak. Iminge putting black laqure over lovely oak furniture. You can refinish yourself, but it is alot of elbow grease. I used a Zipstrip product especially to take of baked on laqure. Good luck to ya, and let me know???? Echos

 

[wayne1]

I think yop will find it really hard to get the last of the darkness from the wood but as long as you use a darkish stain this shouldnt matter it will really depend on what you finish up with. You may not even need to stain at all depending on the colour of the wood rather a protective clear wax may produce a good finish.