I am using the B&D Mouse sander. I have used both 50 and 80 grit and the sandpaper becomes quickly "used/clogged". the wax does not come off on a paper towel but will scratch off with a fingernail (although not noticeable on the furniture piece).

Thanks,sorry to question your discriptions,they are obivously accurate. Apearantly the finish isn't only"waxy,it is indeed finishing wax. There is no good way to remove all the wax without removeing a lot of wood,too much wood. Unfortunatly the scratches created in attempt to remove finish may prove difficult to repair if you decide to do what I reccomend. Scrub surface with mineral spirits and course steel wool followed by wipping away slurry with cotton t-shirt or diaper. You will not be able to remove all the wax, depend's of pourosity of wood as to how much is removed. Use fine steel wool to apply MinWax Finishing Wax. Try wax color a shade or two darker than you want to end up with in a hidden or inconspicous area..

You will probably have more success if you use a chemical stripper first to remove 99% of the old finish. If mineral spirits takes it off, great, but you may need to go to something stronger, depending on exactly what is on piece. Then a light sanding should leave you in good shape to apply a new finish.

rwiegand,do you agree wax is likely what's on there? If you do,will you list a couple of products labeled for wax removal? If you believe it's something other than finishing wax,tung or linseed oil,what might it be? To be clear,if it's a wax/oil type finish,I don't believe complete removal is practical or even necessary. I suggested scrub with mineral spirits only to remove dirt,body oils and surface contaminates while opening wood pores to receive new layer.

I'd suggest removal if one wants to re-stain a different color without obscuring the wood surface with a more opaque finish.

For removal of grime I like scrubbing the surface with 0000 steel wool and boiled linseed oil, a method picked up from a refinishing class at the Smithsonian. Mineral spirits would be a little more aggressive, and is probably a good choice to start with for this project.

Testing the less aggressive/difficult approach first to see if it gives a good outcome certainly makes sense.

I haven't yet found a finish (including wax and silicone-based polishes) that I couldn't remove with a 2:1:1 mixture of methylene chloride, methanol, and lacquer thinner, followed by methanol rinses. Toxic as heck, no doubt, so plenty of ventilation and PPE required.

That's more like what novices need to hear,esp that last sentence.

I should also point out that the mix of solvents described above would be highly flammable, so it would be best to do it outside away from any appliances with pilot lights (like a water heater), or electrical outlets or switches which could spark if used while this is in progress. And don't run any power tools, such as a sander.

Old timer here. Back in the day when wood & linoleum floors were typically waxed - we scrubbed with hot ammonia solution occasionally to strip it off when it got built up and grungy. Will get any dirt out as well. If it raises the grain, no worries - just sand when its dry.

Thanks for the info everyone. Sounds more than I can commit with the chemicals. Looks like I may need to outsource this project.