A thin layer of paint comes off after leaving the stripper on there for an extended period of time. A couple times I have forgotten it and left it on for a couple hours. I've done lots of sanding in my time, and would like to avoid more...especially all those little bumps and ridges on the bike, near impossible to sand. I think a few more coats of Jasco and I'll have made decent headway. But I wonder why others seem to have more success, claiming being able to strip the paint in one or two applications.