Stripper Turned Purple

[Willyou]

I'm working on a small cherry crotch table top. I screwed up the finish and had to strip it and start over. While waiting for the stripper (Behr product; contains sodium hydroxide) to do it's thing, it has turned the whole top a dark purplish black. I've used stripper before but never had this happen. I assume it is a reaction to the cherry. I hope this is not total disaster. This is a unique piece of wood and I don't have a replacement. Once the old finish is stripped off, what if anything should I use to neutralize the purple. Will oxalic acid do it? Or, will it go away once the wood is cleaned up.

[fredhargis]

Smarter folks will chime in here, but I think that's the reaction of cherry to lye. You may be stuck removing wood down to where the color is gone....but wait for the smart guys to assess. If you want to do a test, put some water in a small spot and see if it gets lighter....best done somewhere inconspicuous, so you might want to skip that for now.

[Cooler]

This is the closest I could come to a stripper turning purple.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/10/3...ntonia.jpg

[Willyou]

I was waiting for someone to come up with something like that. I'm surprised it took so long. Hope you didn't use valuable woodworking time to find it.

Actually, I had visions of having to scrap this piece and start over. I decided that I had little to lose. So, I did a little experimenting and found that I could get the stain out with white vinegar. I flooded the surface and let it work for a while. Then I wiped it down, rinsed it, and let it dry. It took a second application to get the job done. Now I'm in the process of finish sanding and getting ready to refinish. I think it is going to work out OK.

[fredhargis]

I'm glad you found a solution. I'll have to remember that trick.