I still have my Fortes from '91 that were originally had the black finish on them and I did remove it, and if I remember correctly, I believe that I used something from Formby's. Used a foam brush to apply it and basically followed the instructions as to how long to leave it on there.
If I recall, there wasnt a bad smell from it, but it can get quite messy, so if you plan on doing this inside, lay down some newspaper or card board boxes to protect the flooring.