to the insanity Bernie!
50/50 IMHO on sealer...I like grain to come out and be seen. That being said, I have a habit of going for a finish that leaves a tactile finish to the wood. Paduk...one of my favorite pen woods is a great example of this. Semi gloss with the grain still open is a cool finish...again...IMHO.
Hope that help and again...
I agree with Jim. You can go either way with walnut. If you want a glass-like smooth surface, then sanding sealer will help get you there sooner. If you'd like a more tactile surface, a couple of coats of the finish of your choice will still look nice. Heck, you've got two bowls...you could try both ways and see which one you prefer...I'll bet both will be nice.
It's all in what you want. I've never used sanding sealer on walnut, sometimes I have sanded to 4000 grit Abralon and a couple coats of Danish Oil and buff. I kind of like that look.
I say yes to the sealer for walnut.
I will not longer even use walnut for small projects unless it is stabilized first. Kinda open grain. Really needs the sealing.
Bernie, welcome to vertigo land from NM!
I use some shellac on almost everything, I like the look and love the smell. But I will put tung oil on walnut every time, cuz I like black walnut looking black!
I like Vaughn's idea and deciding which you prefer. One nice thing about shellac is an alcohol wipe will cut it back easily if you dont want it "sealed" too much.
mj
Welcome from another Bernie. I don't use sander sealer on any wood. I like to apply my finish and go. Never have had a problem big or small with walnut and no sealer.