Kind of late to this thread, but if I'd followed my college degree, I would be a HS shop teacher now.

(not gonna happen!)
So I'm no stranger to an older solid oak piece, a gallon of stripper, stain, and a qt, of semi-gloss urethane (brushed, not sprayed).
Most of them came in the door via my ex's family flea market "business", and they left the door when she did.
Have not really gotten back into furniture refinishing, tho most of the stuff in the house is not anywhere near new. just nothing worthy of posting a picture.
I like the 'distressed" finishes you have done, but I must confess, I spent a lot of time stripping poorly done distressed paint, or the style of the decade off some beautiful quarter-sawn or tiger oak!
