knackered old hinge screws just melt under the screwdriver

[Dewy]

Paint stripper is highly caustic and removed any natural oil in the wood that gives its character and is a natural preservative.
There are some non caustic strippers but these are expensive.
Have a look on some of the TV shopping channels for Ready Strip which is approx £40 for half a gallon (American measures)

 

[Sandy Beech]

Tom is perfectly correct - dipping will cause all sorts of problems. My late wife used to buy furniture to do up and always had it stripped. Colour was usually ruined and bits were left behind in the caustic soda vats. That reminds me they still have a couple of panes of rare glass from an old street lamp

Some of the modern strippers are much more gentle - those you can use at home that is.

BTW I have used the trick with the soldering iron and it can work.

Sorry Dewy I should have read to the end of the thread