Beautiful set. Don't dump....keep and refinish.
Here are some sites that will help you in the process:
step 1.
http://www.refinishfurniture.com/teak_refinishing_indoor.htm
step 2.
http://www.refinishfurniture.com/teak_finish.htm

You might also want to read this for additional info.
http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/134310.html

Although there are several products they suggest IE: Brinwax and Minwax....I personally have had better results with Howard products.
http://www.howardproducts.com/

Wish you best of luck....it will be even more beautiful.

Zoee...
Which color of the Restore A Finish have you used on your teak?

wait a sec. Before you even go the refinishing route....try coating the table liberally with boiled linseed oil (from the hardware store). Put on a thick layer, let it sit...keep putting the oil on until no more will soak into the wood. This iwll take about an hour. Then wipe ofrf the excess. Most likely the original finish was an oiled finish...and reintroducing the oil to it will drive out the water. If you keep a teak finish oiled it will be beautiful and will also tend to repel most stains. I have done this to literally hundreds of pieces in my life. If there are still white areas present, use a product called Jasco ring remover. It is a weird combination of wet sanding cloth and hard core wood oil....buffing for a while with that will get out even the most stubborn white marks. Oh....the rag that you use to apply the linseed oil should never be left unattended. WHen not in active use lay it out ont he surface of the table flat. When you go to discard it seal it in a ziplock bag partially filled with water. The oil will start to smolder on the rag and they have been known to self combust.

DrToby,
I have not refinished teak, but have refinished many other types of wood. I suggest you read through the first two links I gave you. Teak is a very different wood and is normally not finished with any type of lacquer, but instead oils. It is also common that the teak wood has a very thin layer of veneer on top. There is a phone number on the Howard web site....you can call and I'm sure they will be happy to help with any questions about the teak.
Also, check out this forum on refinishing teak...there is some valuable information there.

http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread_show_one/thread_id/8157/

Wish I could be of more help. I just finished some antique mahogany pieces, which are just as delicate as teak and had excellent results.

When you undertake this project, the best advice I can give you is the old age saying, that patience is a virtue.

Wish I could be of more help, but you'll be fine and the table will look gorgeous, I am sure.

best, Z.

Douse that baby in teak oil repeatedly.

i mean it . . . really. you will be amazed.

Go to a marine store where boats are re-finished. They take care of teak decks all the time. They will sell you what you need to make that baby look like new. If you are not near a marine store, Home Depot sells everything that you need - cleaner to take off the old finish and teak oil. Use nothing but teak oil or your furniture will get 'gummy'. I've done it lots of times (since the 50's) and my furniture looks like new.
Georgia in CSH, NY

Don't use linseed oil See: http://www.conservation-us.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=629&parentID=497

After reading a recommendation on another site, we used Watco Rejuvenating Oil on a severely damaged Danish teak dining room table ($20 yard sale find). The results were this side of miraculous.

Here's the stuff, btw. We found it at Lowes. http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=49

I have a gummy surface on my teak dresser--I've had no idea how to deal with it! Everything sticks--hopefully, some of these great suggestions will help.

Teak oil, danish oil, linseed oil, all have good and bad. Just read up on each and that'll help you decide which will work best for you -- because there's also factors like where you use the table, how much wear it'll get, whether there's chance of exposure to water (and if you're the kind of person who wipes up fast versus takes a few minutes), how much exposure to sun (direct afternoon? early morning only?) and even how often you want to have to redo the process. There are some amazing oil-based finishes that are simple to apply... if you're willing to deal with the fact that you'll need to do it again anywhere from every few months to once or twice a year.

Personally, I don't like dealing with linseed and not because it has flammability issues (it's the least of the flammable products in my workshop!), but because it's just a hassle. It's not a beginner's oil, certainly, though it is more user-friendly (and less elbow-grease-requiring) than tung oil. The effect of linseed oil is worth the trouble, which is why I have put up with it in certain circumstances.

It really comes down to how much and how rough the table's going to be used, and how much time/energy you want to invest, for refinishing and for later upkeep. Knowing that will help you narrow when you research the oil options, to narrow down what kind of treatment the table needs that you can also sustain.

One thing: the Jasco works awesomely on white rings. If you've got BLACK marks, though, then that's damage below the finish and into the wood. If you don't mind them, then leave 'em alone because you can only get rid of them at the cost of the patina.

@jen_g: if there's something gummy on a teak dresser then there's a good chance it's the finish reacting to the teak. What makes teak such an incredible wood, like cedar, is that it retains its oils (same reason it's used in boat-building stuff, b/c this assists in water-resistance, IIRC). Problem is that the wrong finish then just plain never really dries, because it's constantly in contact with the wood's oils. Kind of like painting a damp wall: the paint won't cure properly, or will peel, etc, because it's sitting on something wet.

Teak does best if it *doesn't* get the usual poly or lacquer or shellac. Some finishes seal in those oils (the dampness), some don't let the teak breathe, and some just don't mesh with oil in the wood. You might want to do research on the ways to identify a finish so you can then determine the best removal process, and follow up the pseudo-stripping with a proper soak of teak oil or similar.

Otherwise, there's not really a way to stop the gumminess, and any additional finishing you do may just make the situation worse.

Beautiful table, please please refinish it. If you are not up for the job then send it to a professional. This is a set I would proud to pass down the generations.

I just discovered a miracle product called Restore-A-Finish. I had wandered into a vintage store while the proprietor was using it on a console and it really revived a dull finish. So I bought some and used some on my midcentury chairs. Lovely. Took out the scratches and white spots and restored the new look to the chairs. I used the dark maple version which sort of looks like soy sauce coming out of the can, but there are other finishes available. It's a sort of tinted oil. Or you can go with clear. Just be sure to wipe off all the excess. I bought mine at Ace Hardware, but I'm told Home Depot also carries it. The chairs aren't perfect, since the product is trnaslucent, but they look much better than when I bought them.

Do not use restore a finish on teak. Teak oil is very light and will not match the orignal finish. Considering the color of the teak wood, it looks like it has a slight stain to it. I would recommend sanding 150 the table down carefully (the veneer can be very thin) until all the old finish is removed. Then use Watco FRUITWOOD danish oil. It is the danish oil formula with a stain in it. Use about 3 coats or until it is shiny when dry and then clearcoat the top with a wipe-on polyuerathane.