Reply by Wes Giesbrecht

I’m in Canada. I can’t find a website for Nitromors or any references that aren’t UK based.
I’ve never heard of it before but judging from all of the safety warnings, I’m guessing it’s powerful stuff.

There are areas on the rails especially where the rain water has lain after the wood was exposed,
for years now, that I’m afraid I’ll not be able to take down to raw fresh wood. If I was even able to sand all the weather stain out of them, it would damage the profile beyond recognition. And, unfortunately the ogee profile is not on a separate stopper, it’s milled into the stiles and rails themselves. And it is unsightly. That’s the main reason for refinishing.

I’ve stained a lot of wood over the years, especially oak and I have no moral qualms about that. I think it’ll actually suit the house a lot better than the washed out blond look that it has now. The roof and gutters etc. on the house are dark brown.
Oak rub wax?

-- Wes Giesbrecht http://www.wesgiesbrecht.com/index.htm