Re: hoosier repair

Under the oak veneer is another layer of veneer going in the opposite direction, known as cross banding. You'll have to remove this as well. The base wood is usually gum or poplar, as Peter said. These are pretty ugly woods, which don't take stain well.

If the piece is an antique (more than 100 years old), it's advisable to repair or replace the oak veneer. Even if half the veneer is gone, you're still saving yourself work by keeping the rest. The buckled areas can possibly be reglued with a hot iron, to reconstitute the hide glue. The missing veneer can be patched with odd-shaped patches to disguise the repair.