How to Restore Finish?

Hi, this is the base to an early 20th century pier table painted black with a lacquer top coat which has alligatored. I believe it to be lacquer rather than shellac because a test area dissolves with lacquer thinner but not alcohol. Can the top coat be amalgamated by flooding it with lacquer thinner or will it just lift the finish and it'll float around creating more of a mess?
My alternate plan is to sand part way through the top coat and apply multiple layers of lacquer. Any help is appreciated!

 

Have had some success with evening out a finish with lacquer thinner this way. It will remove some finish and you may end up with some thin areas. You have to work fast, as your rag will stick to the finish as the thinner evaporates. You also will end up with a very shiny finish when done. Your best bet might be to strip this and start over with a new finish.

A side note: I don't know if they have somehow changed the formula for lacquer thinner in the last 5 years or so. It seems less volitile and does not cut the finish as fast as it used to. I find it harder to work with than in the past.

 

Was curious about this myself. This Google search had a bunch of ways to consider. https://www.google.com/search?q=alligatored+lacquer+fix
As verybrad mentioned the key to these “hacks” is in the technique and materials. Please be careful with using and disposing of the solvents. They can be bad for you and flammable.

 

Thanks for the advice! I'll try fixing the finish with thinner this weekend.
In the event I have to remove and refinish, I was thinking I could tint shellac a deep black to simulate 'ebonizing' the piece. I don't think I can strip it so completely that I can properly ebonize it. In the past I've used calligraphers ink as a tint for small repairs but not anything as large as this piece. Any advice concerning ebonizing a stripped surface or tinting to black color?

 

And do it in a well ventilated area, that stuff stinks!!!!!!

 

Why try to ebonize this? These old black lacquer pieces were not originally black. The lacker has oxidized and blackened over the years. I suspect you will find mahogany under all that finish.

 

.........and an update. I tried to amalgamate the finish with lacquer thinner and when that didn't work (most of the finish stayed stubbornly solid) I tried acetone which dissolved a little more but not all the finish. The finish I did pull off revealed glued up softwoods rather than the hoped for mahogany veneer.
I think I'll remove the remaining finish, apply a black dye and lacquer it. Thanks for all your input!