Jim,
I have only used this method twice. On the A5 stock I let the easy off soak for 10 minutes. It was my first attempt and I was not entirely sure how it would work.
After letting it soak for a good 10 minutes in the easy off, I washed it down with hot soapy water and a good brush scrubbing.
When it dried the wood seemed coarse or rough on the surface. More so than I would have expected by just removing the finish. My conclusion was that I had left the easy-off on too long and that along with breaking down the finish it had also attacked the surface of the stock.
That was how I took it. Maybe there are other reasons. I've only done this twice, so I don't have a lot of experience with it. If you have done this process multiple times and don't find that easy-off left on the stock damages it, then there is probably more truth to it than in my experience.
