The trick to removing anodizing easily is to let your chemical -- Easy Off oven cleaner is my favorite -- soak on the entire part for just a few minutes and NEVER let it dry. Stand upwind, and use wire or needle nose pliers to suspend or hold the part; heavy gloves are also a good idea.
Shake the can thoroughly, spray it on the parts, let it soak for 3-5 minutes, and spray it again ... and keep shaking, spraying and soaking until you see a grayish / brownish film start to rise on top of the bubbles. It might take a half hour and quite a few shots but it works. When you start seeing a mainly white film again, rinse the part with cold water, blow it dry, and inspect it to make sure all the anodizing is gone. Then continue on with your resto efforts.
