How to Sand Intricate Wood Carvings: How do you do it?

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I have a coffee table that has a lot of decorative work along the outside, such as flowers and leaves that are part of the original woodwork.

The stain removal product I used did not remove all of the stain from the carving.There are stain remnants in the center glass pieces.

How do I remove the stain without ruining the look of the piece?

Use your stain remover again, but this time be more specific and use an old toothbrush to clean it off when it's time.Just like getting plaque off your teeth, a toothbrush can work the remover into the small places.

You can use bleach if it's mostly gone, but be careful, it is dangerous and can damage the wood.

How much do you want to take off?Because done well, leaving some of the old stain in the grooves can give it a nice 'antique' look and feel.

Reapplication and mechanical manipulation are your friends.There are more extreme paths if this is a critical project.

More time is spent breathing nasty and life-saving chemicals.If you don't have a respirator, please use common sense.There are many in the range of $20 to $50.

The abrasive material is similar to a shoe lace.It might be worth looking into sanding the stain out of intricate designs.