Stripping/sanding paint from awkward handrail

[tucky]

Hi,

I'm heat stripping the paint from my stairs and handrail and it's going okay.

However the handrail has an awkward side which runs parallel with the wall with a gap of about 3 or 4 cms which makes it impossible to direct any heat onto it and even get the scraper into the gap is a bit of a fiddle.

I can't detatch the hand rail from the wall because it's been there for years and the screws etc have been painted over numerous times by previous owners.

Does anyone have any advice on removing paint from this awkward side?

Thanks

 

[Bosswhite]

You could try and sand down behind the rail with an electric file

or wrap a sheet of sandpaper around the back of the rail to rub it down and feather the paint edge, then repaint, its not going to be that noticeable I wouldnt have thought.

 

[tucky]

Thanks for the reply. I think electric file might be the way to go as I'm wanting to leave the wood unpainted.