Not a job for the inexperienced. It is hard to put wood back on.
Far easier is to knock the gloss off the finish. Done properly it will not look like a plastic force shield. If it does not look "thin" enough, a few coats of oil finish will flatten the look. Oil will need to be rubbed out after curing.
There are lots of ways to get finish off and lots of ways to change the look of a stock, but it all comes down to what you expect it to look like in the end.
If you are willing to accept obvious signs of refinishing and not willing to do all the things needed to prevent them you can do it that way. It will not save time in the end.
