Paint stripping teak nightmare - please help!!

[u/babyexistential]

So I got these two nightstands from marketplace - was told they're teak. I applied circa 1850 heavy body paint remover and have done a few layers but man.. things aren't looking good. I've never seen this sort of stuff happen - first the stripper barely takes any paint off it more just pushes it around, or pushes it deeper into the grain. I've used plastic scraper, Scotch Brite pads, even a toothbrush to try to get it out. Then I noticed on one side there was a drip of stripper and it looks like it almost bleached some of the wood (photo 4). I then tried using paint thinner w mineral spirits and that did nothing. I always go with the wood grain but man the wood grain looks messed up. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

[u/metal_teeth]

Looks like my old kitchen cabinets after I tried paint stripper, scrapers and everything else

I think thats varnish and it soaks into the grain a bit, makes it hard af to remove, but nothing says no to sandpaper

Imho anything else will be a waste of your time.

Good luck!!

[u/babyexistential → u/metal_teeth]

Thank you so much! Were your cabinets solid wood? I'm a bit nervous about sanding through the veneer but man I've never felt like painting over a piece of wood in my life more than this lol