Talking to a retired binder at a flea market made me rethink my sewing habits

I was at a flea market last Saturday in Portland and an old guy named Frank was selling some really beat up antique books. We got to talking and I mentioned how I always do a full link stitch on every single book I make because I thought it was the strongest method. He laughed and said 'most of my books from the 50s are still holding together with just a simple kettle stitch, because I didn't overdo the glue either.' At first I thought he was just old school and stubborn, but he let me flip through a few of his bindings and they were really clean, no cracking or loose sections after decades. It hit me that I have been using heavy thread and too many stitches as a crutch because I was scared of things falling apart. Now I am trying out a lighter approach on some practice journals and I can already feel the covers move better. Has anyone else had a seasoned binder tell you to simplify your technique and it actually worked out?

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