Help with pruning scars

[ChefB]

Hi b’nutters. Lurker here. I recently acquired this little blueberry from Facebook auctions. It has good movement and the fact that it was going to flower and fruit soon made it even more appealing. I didn’t however, from the pictures, notice these ugly black scars on the trunk. They make the viewing angle kind of one-sided.
The wounds are sealed with some sort of liquid black sealant, evident by drip stains on a couple of the cuts. My questions would be: What the heck is this black sealant and What can I do now to these wounds to help them heal, look more natural or pleasing to the eye? The sealant doesn’t appear to have completely covered on some of the cuts. If it is sealing, the edges of some cuts are definitely dried out. Can I re-carve these areas revealing a bit of cambium and cover with a normal type cut paste? If so can I do that now?
As much as it is killing me to put her in this perfect little pot, I am going to wait until fall to repot per @Leo in N E Illinois. I’m trying to come out from the shadows here on b-nut and appreciate all the great knowledge that is being shared by people such as Leo and many others. It is invaluable. Thank you.

 

[Newish in Oregon]

Hi b’nutters. Lurker here. I recently acquired this little blueberry from Facebook auctions. It has good movement and the fact that it was going to flower and fruit soon made it even more appealing. I didn’t however, from the pictures, notice these ugly black scars on the trunk. They make the viewing angle kind of one-sided.
The wounds are sealed with some sort of liquid black sealant, evident by drip stains on a couple of the cuts. My questions would be: What the heck is this black sealant and What can I do now to these wounds to help them heal, look more natural or pleasing to the eye? The sealant doesn’t appear to have completely covered on some of the cuts. If it is sealing, the edges of some cuts are definitely dried out. Can I re-carve these areas revealing a bit of cambium and cover with a normal type cut paste? If so can I do that now?
As much as it is killing me to put her in this perfect little pot, I am going to wait until fall to repot per @Leo in N E Illinois. I’m trying to come out from the shadows here on b-nut and appreciate all the great knowledge that is being shared by people such as Leo and many others. It is invaluable. Thank you.

I'm hardly an expert but if the sealant is more paint than putty [so you can't peel it off], I'd guess the advice will be to proceed as you suggest. Let's see what those in the know have to say.

 

[ChefB]

I'm hardly an expert but if the sealant is more paint than putty [so you can't peel it off], I'd guess the advice will be to proceed as you suggest. Let's see what those in the know have to say.

It seems like paint but does not peel.

 

[Shibui]

Black sealant is probably a product called Steriprune down here (or similar). It is definitely very difficult to remove so I stopped using it long ago in favour of bonsai sealant or acrylic wound dressing which are less obvious and more easily removed.
The cuts are not particularly neat or flush so it is definitely possible to recut or carve lightly to give a better line through the trunk, reduce the stubs to slightly concave and get rid of most of that black wound dressing.
I do not grow many blueberries but I would recut stumps of almost all species pretty much any time of year.

 

[ChefB]

Thank you @Shibui. You are certainly one of the many others I was referring to in my original post. I’ll post the results by beginning a progression on this one. -Cheers!