Thanks for the details, BadByte. It's true that many arborists do not apply wound treatments, but they are also very careful not to cut the
branch collar off, which is something we almost always do when pruning bonsai, and have special tools to do so.
The arborist's concern is rarely based so heavily on aesthetics. What we as bonsai-ists do creates a weaker wound that's slower to heal than one that leaves the collar, but it's necessary for our purposes.
I think your approach of experimenting, but being cautious is a good one. Now I am not speaking of you, but of a general trend I have witnessed:
I am always amazed by the huge effort that some people will put into justifying laziness.
Regards,
Matt