if you look at the lower branch on the one pine you can see much smaller spring extension, should i worry about early balancing, or just do the 10 10 10 day method
Don't worry about the Hijack it is all related and pertinent. You have come up with one of the classic suggestions of bad things to do at the wrong time in a tree's development. This is not your fault or necessarily a condemnation. For years the gospel of two needle Pine cultivation has centered around an abundance of information concerning the cultivation of Japanese Black Pine. For years this model of behavior has been suggested to work on all two needle Pines and in Japan it indeed does. The Japanese Red Pine can be treated the same way. Therefor; the assumption by many has been that this was the way to handle all two needle Pines, when on a world stage this is not true with World trees. When you start talking about the finer points of cultivation you will find out quickly that Scots Pines and Mugo Pines will not conform to those models and in many case fail badly. It is true you can force a Scots and or a Mugo to perform some of these tricks occasionally, over the long haul they will not, and across the species they will not. The importance of a technique is consistent repeatability.
Balancing growth and energy and managing needle length are all things related to trees that are in second or third stage development with developed branches and trunk line. As I understand it--- you, and several others, are still trying to develop growth and ramification while attempting to use finishing techniques to accomplish those goals. Right now you need a bon-fire not a pastry burner. You only worry about balancing energy with Scots Pines until you have established the basic form headed toward a finished form. The truth is, that in my experience Scots Pines pretty much balance their own futures without some of the things that have to be done to the more vigorous JBP. While I am thinking about it: Scots Pines have a strong tendency to back bud on bare wood something most Black Pines are loath to do. Just another difference. The real problem is this: Many who are real experts and masters with JBP will not acknowledge or research the differences between JBP, Scots Pine or Mugo Pine. The assumption remains, like the old Medieval Church, where one could buy themselves out of purgatory. True or not, any argument about it becomes an attack on the entire institution. When one attacks what another consideres a doctrine you can expect a disagreement.
I know there are probably going to be several who will passionately disagree with me here and I probably should have kept my thoughts to myself but the question remains: Why do you not see more finished Scots Pine Bonsai?