In my efforts at turnng bowls and somewhat deeper vessels, I find an occasional crack for one reason or another. I also create some surface defects from sometimes less-handy manipulation of my cutting tools. If the defects are not fatal to the piece and I think I want to salvage the piece, I have decided that a decorative accent may be the ticket. I have obtained some powdered brass, which I mix with epoxy, forming a thick paste. The paste and the hardened epoxy will be a brownish or perhaps olive green color. I work the paste into the crack or other defect, and let it harden. After sanding the bowl or other thing, I then use steel wool and plenty of elbow grease, to produce a shiny brass "inlay" where the defect was, and it doesn't look half bad. A clear finish like varnish or shellac, preserves the brass shine.
In my efforts so far, the object is turned to nearly its finished state and preliminary sanding is done. The flaw is filled. When the epoxy is ready for sanding, I hand sand the epoxy surface, rather than sanding the whole piece while spinning on the lathe. The wood and the epoxy are radically different surfaces, and the wood will get sanded more deeply than the epoxy. If the piece is quite round, a fine scraping cut may be done on the lathe to true up the epoxied surface with the wood, and then a complete and general finish sanding may be done on the lathe.
I realize this method may offend the finer sensibilities of some, but I also accept that no matter what kind of work I do, it will not appeal to everyone. In any case, it works for me, and reduces the amount of firewood I produce in my shop.
For those who are curious,