Yes, I just sand the crisp edge off the nodes and scrape the rind off lightly.
Sometimes there are longitudinal depressions running the length of the boo, I don't try to get the rind up out of those.
Doing so would mean scraping too deeply into the boo surface alongside them, and ya don't wanna do that.
Plus they give character to the boo.
If you leave the rind on, it will not accept any stain.