Until I just tried it with acetone, I would have agreed with you. But it really was not so bad at all using just acetone. The paint strippers scare me, I have stripped a car and god knows that is nasty stuff.
It may not look as good as a brand new one, but I think that depends on how much time you put into it.
I have tried just sanding, and that's a nightmare.
Use straight acetone, you might be surprised that the job is not so bad at all.