Any tips for removing very stubborn varnish?

I am trying to remove the varnish on my centrboard case but when I apply heat the varnish turns to a syrup consistency and then hardens again. Not come across this one before! Any easy solutions for removing this most irritating substance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Nitomors or Blackfiars self neutralizing paint stripper

Try the forum search, this has been covered before and I think Garry says cheap heat gun and someone else says a piece of glass.

I have had this syrupy problem in the past with heat - all you can do is scrape as much as possible when it's hot taking care to avoid scorching then slap on nitomors and proceed as per usual.

If an old enough boat the case would be solid wood rather than ply. Therefore just use elbow grease and a very sharp scraper to cut though it, i.e. get down to fresh wood. Just be careful not to catch an edge.

Bought stanley scraper with tungsten carbide blades in the end, absolutely blinding, no fuss just removes varnish with ease right back to bare wood. One question though any tips on keeping these things sharp?

Thanks

File one way rub a screwdriver or chisel the other to produce a bur.

I stripped an old merlin with a cheap hot air gun in two days, and very easy to clean up afterwards.

if the scraper is tungsen carbide it will not burr with a screwdriver. Only  a diamond hone will touch it.

Hi Chris,

It is TC and your absolutely right about the diamond hone.