Removing old dark stain from curly maple?

[Boompa]

   I have a flintlock with a pretty maple stock, lots of curl.  The finish was poorly done so I stripped it off and removed  excessive wood here & there to make a cleaner looking gun. Originally stained very dark walnut, I need to lighten up a few areas. Any ideas?   I'd like to stain w/ a lighter honey maple stain & refinish w/ tung oil.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Just did it with some Jasco stain and paint remover.  It didn't touch the aqua fortis (ferric nitrate) but it pulled the stain out and lightened it up a great deal... I don't know about honey maple but probably a lot lighter than it is now.

[Boompa]

  I stripped the old finish off using a similar product and it did lighten it some. I may end up going back to a moderately dark stain.  Most of the stain left is in the soft parts of the curly maple, creating a tiger stripe effect.  Where I reshaped/removed wood from the stock there is of course, no stain and I was hoping to somehow bleach the remaining portions of the stock. 

[David Rase]

Oxalic Acid is commonly used to lighten stain.  It is basically a wood bleach.
David

[Boompa]

  Went to Menards and got some Zinsser wood bleach.  It's a two part process with some fairly hot acid, instructions say to wear gloves and I did not.....wished I would have!
It does lighten the stain a bunch, more than 50%. Light sanding afterward has it about where I wanted it, success!