Should I strip the workbench to bare wood or sand and repair the vise mount?

[Aria96]

I’ve finally got my old workbench cleared off to start a proper restoration, but I’m stuck on whether to strip it completely down to bare wood or just sand and repair the worst of the existing finish. The patina has a lot of character, but I worry it’s hiding some structural issues with the vise mount.

[Riley55]

I went ahead and stripped it down to bare wood. The varnish hid how loose the vise mounting was, and once it was open I found a couple of screws that had worked slightly loose and a pin that needed reseating. After a careful glue and re-seating, it felt sturdier in hand, though I’m not sure that solved everything.

[Chloe_S]

I kept the old finish in place and just sanded the rough spots, patching a few chips. I did a quick clamp test and there was still some wiggle, but the patina has so much character it’s hard to tell what’s wood and what’s wear. I think I’ll plan a careful redo later, when I’m sure the mount is solid.

[ScarlettS]

I keep wondering if the problem isn’t the finish at all but something else like the anchor bolts or how the vise is mounted relative to the bench. Do you actually have a wobble when you clamp something?

[NatalieL]

Time is slipping away. I started with a quick pass of sand on a corner, then paused to think it through. If the decision is to restore, I’ll measure the mounting points and sanity-check the alignment before going further.