Chinese Stab Binding

I looked at some Japanese stab bindings over at cailun.info and they inspired me not to make a great Japanese stab binding but to return to the genre. With two caveats. 

First, I was told by some Chinese humans that what most of the world calls 'Japanese' stab binding is actually 'Chinese' stab binding. I did a little research (I googled Chinese stab binding) and found that the main difference between Japanese and Chinese stab bindings is that the distance between the sewn threads in a Japanese-style binding is even. From one thread to the next is the same distance on traditional Japanese binding. In Chinese binding, that distance can vary. 

Second, I went to a Buddhist store that sells Buddhist scripture. The books Buddhist priests read from when they chant. These are all bound using Japanese stab bindings. I checked them out. Now, one reason I didn't like the stab binding genre (Chinese or Japanese) is that the book doesn't open very widely. Well, I examined in minute detail the scripture book. It has very thin paper, very few pages (maybe 50 at most), and the binding is close to the edge. With the thin paper and few pages plus the binding close to the edge, the book opens wider.

So, I cut up some paper to B6 size and made two Chinese stab binding pamphlets - blank journals of about 60 pages (30 sheets). I liked the fact that I could make one while watching a DVD (The Queen staring Helen Mirren) and only stab myself once or twice.

They open nicely but still you can't use the inner most edge as it is closed off by the binding but they make nice notebooks and doodle pads if one were stuck in a meeting for a couple of hours.