This isn't so much a dumb thing as Ooops, from lack of knowledge from previous work. If all else fails, I will suggest a stripper you might want to try called Removall. It is not near as dastardly as the Aircraft stipper and does not turn the surface into a gooey mess.
Removall is a water borne stripper that once applied soaks through the surface, offgases at the surface and lirerally lifts the finish off. It doesn't dissolve the finish, rather lifts it loose to be picked off with a scrapper or even a vacuum cleaner.
I think the Sherwin Williams stores have it.
And it will not kill you to be around it like Aircraft stripper.
