Need some (re)finish help.

[Rip Topaz]

I'm working on refinishing one of my builds from a few years ago, and I've got a dilemma.

When I built the bass, I used Deft nitro. That's not the problem, though.

I'm stripping it to refinish, after reworking the whole bass, but I've hit a wall and need some advice.

The fretboard is also nitro and needs stripping.

Here's the problem. I need to strip the old finish from the fretboard, but I installed fiber optic side markers and any chemical stripper will melt the fibers and ruin the markers.

What's my best bet? Can I remove the finish without removing the frets, because that again raises the issue of the fiber optics. I don't want to risk damaging the fiber optics accidentally.

What would you guys suggest? Should I carefully paint some Citristrip between the frets?

 

[pfox14]

So, the fretboard is natural with a nitro finish? Why don't you just sand off the finish?

 

[Rip Topaz]

Trying to sand it off without defretting would be a real pain, and there's also the problem of possibly sanding through the fretboard. I routed a channel in the back of the fretboard to run the fiber optics.

Defretting would leave more chance of breaking one of the fibers accidentally.

 

[Luthier Atlanta]

Scrap it with a razor blade, stand the blade straight up and down and utilize it like a darw scraper.

 

[Rip Topaz]

Scrap it with a razor blade, stand the blade straight up and down and utilize it like a darw scraper.

That was my next plan. Thanks. The razor blade is my best friend in the shop. Probably gonna be the best way.