After reading that Outside article phoenixblack mentioned, my face has done more map reading than my phone, thanks to all those roots.

That extra glue thing is real. My buddy's tank model glue fixed the handle on his coffee mug, same deal.

Remember my "eco-friendly" pine disaster that looked like plastic wrap? Yeah, jana_miller31's oak success makes me jealous. For your walnut, I found those finishes often dry to a cooler, flatter sheen than oil, which might be your fence-sitting issue. Try a satin instead of gloss next time to warm it up.