Should I Be Concerned About Lead When Refinishing Old Furniture? -- Good Questions

Q: I often buy second hand pieces of furniture to refurbish, which usually involves stripping and sanding off old layers of paint and stain. The last few pieces I have gotten my hands on got me thinking about the possibility of lead in existing layers of paint, due to the older age of the furniture. I have read that some of the DIY lead kits are not always accurate, so now I'm questioning whether I should be sanding away the old layers so freely. I definitely cannot afford to call in a professio...