: Anyone have any experience or thoughts about using a mixture
: of....CEDAR SAW DUST and "DURHAM'S" ROCK HARD WATER
: PUTTY...to be used as a filler for a few small holes and cracks

Hello
I would recommends you stay away from all filling along gaps. I have heavily researched the use of filler and from experience, my own and others, the filler always appears a different color or changes color at a different rate than the strips surrounding the fill. Go ahead and fill staple holes since the damage to the wood cells will already result in a darker color.

I do not even attempt to use filler, it never appears satisfactory. However if you do, durhams sands well, oil based are hard to apply but match ok, saw dust is damaged wood and will be darker when wet.
Gaps in dark decks are hard to see light decks show gaps better.

Carefull fitting is the best cure.

Robert, visionary