Some time in the far distant past, an unsightly layer of finish was applied to the wrist checkering on my 1949 Ithaca Knick SBT.

I would like to remove this layer of finish but only as it covers the checkering pattern. I have received excellent advice here on many other projects and so this is where I start. How do I go about removing this finish? I do plan to recut the checkering after I get the finish cut back.

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]