Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Old Oak Footstool

Hello all! I am new to this forum, but have looked through the posts to see if someone has had the same problem as I have, and since I really don't know what the "real" terminology is for my problem, I thought I would post a query.

I am refinishing an old oak footstool I found at a fleamarket last weekend. I got most of the (about 20 layers it seems!) paint stripped off, except for the ends. I must add that the footstool had stood in a very damp place, and the wood is cracked quite a bit.

My problem with the whole thing is, is that I'm having difficulties with the ends of the footstool. the wood seems to have lots of nooks and crannies and I can't get the paint stripper to work there for some reason. -- I will try to explain -- It looks as though the top part of the footstool was cut with a saw and the ends never being finished/sanded. The grain has definitely raised due to the water damage that it has become.

I have applied, reapplied and reapplied paint stripper to this area again, leaving it on overnight with a plastic bag over it so it doesn't evaporate so quickly. I have then reapplied paint stripper on it, using a steel brush one time and steel wool the second time, and it still doesn't come off.

I'm getting pretty frustrated, since I've gotten all these layers off everywhere else except on the ends!

Any help would be appreciated!

thanks!

Paint down in the endgrain of the rough wood may have to be sanded off wood and all to eliminate it.