For the 8 years i've been restoring antiques, i've sworn by methylene chloride-based strippers, like Klean Strip. I've become a connoisseur of strippers and solvents. And then I tried to strip the wrought iron railings outside my house. What a nightmare! The Klean Strip was drying into an impenetrable shell before it sank in past the first layer of paint. These railings have at least 4 or 5 thick layers of different kinds of paint. I tried Smart Strip as a last resort. I had used an earlier version of the product (Peel Away) on some woodwork in my house years ago, and it did okay. I was skeptical because of the mixed reviews. After the first spindle, I ran and got my camera to take a video. I finished the remaining 6 spindles, plus the top and bottom rails, and cleaned up the bits the other stripper left, in just shy of 2 hours (not counting the dwell time- i'll get to that). By comparison, it took a whole day to do 2 spindles with the Klean Strip, and it left a lot of gunk behind. Now, I gave this 4 stars because, despite my enormous success with it, you can't follow the directions... Wrapping: The can specifically says it doesn't need to be covered (like its predecessor, Peel Away), but I did it anyway bcs my railings were outside my door, and I didn't want anyone putting their hand in goop. The one place I did not cover, I was pleased to see the solvent hadn't dried out after 24 hours, but I did have a tougher time scraping the paint off there. I did not use the special paper they sell- I just used some plastic shopping bags. Someone else mentioned wax paper. I even noticed the paint coming off with the bags as I peeled them off. Scraping: The paint doesn't “wipe right off”. It does require some elbow grease. I used a scraper on flat surfaces and steel wool or a metal bristle brush on the curvy bits. And some places I had to scrub, or pick off a fleck with my finger nail. But I had the first spindle down to bare metal in 5 minutes. I also used Denatured Alcohol to help clean off the solvent and soften up any little bits of paint left over. Dwelling: I don't know why the can bothers to say 3-24 hours. Just tell us we should leave it overnight. I can't imagine it taking less time. And it's not like the stuff dries out. I did mine for 24 hours, and it worked very well. Thickness: The can says 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, and they're not kidding. The heavier the better. I would drop my railings into a vat of this if I could. If you paint on a thin layer, it won't work. You have to really slather it on there. Basically, if you can still see your paint through the solvent, you don't have enough on. I dabbed it on like stucco. Really thin stucco. So, in conclusion, this is not a product to use if you wake up one morning and want to get your project done that day. Count on a 24 hour dwell time. I can't vouch for how it works on finishes other than latex or oil based paint (like enamel, polyurethane, varnish, etc. I have a feeling a lot of the negative reviews encountered a layer of something this stuff isn't formulated to handle), though I did notice that, as I wiped my solvent covered hands on my paint-spattered jeans, paint was coming off my jeans. And don't follow the directions- slather it on, wrap it, wait a day, scrape it, and scrub it with denatured alcohol. It's water based, it doesn't stink, it doesn't burn like the fires of a thousand suns when it gets on your skin, it's biodegradable... what's not to like? If you're unsure, get the “sample size” and test it. ¼ of the “sample size” can did a 4 foot section of railing for me. I will continue to use Klean Strip for projects I need to do quickly, or if i've only got 1 or 2 layers of paint to get through. But the rest of my railings will be done with Smart Strip!
