Woodworkers unable to identify existing furniture finishes before refinishing or restoration

Woodworkers and furniture restorers struggle to accurately identify what type of finish is on existing pieces (stain, varnish, lacquer, oil, wax, etc.) before attempting repairs or refinishing. Without proper identification, they risk applying incompatible products that fail, waste materials, damage the piece, or produce poor results. Current solutions rely on trial-and-error testing, expensive professional analysis, or guesswork based on appearance.