Ha, right? I learned the hard way that trying to be the camp expert just makes you look like a jerk. Honestly, the best approach for me was just letting people do their thing and quietly enjoying my own setup. If someone asks for advice, I'll share what works for me, but that's about it.

Huh, that's wild, grinding leg totally changed my game for merguez blends too!

Old guy at the paint store near me told me the same thing about primer once - thicker coats, longer flash, and it cut my sanding time in half. Turns out I was just following what some YouTube guy said instead of trusting someone who's been doing it since the 80s. Made me wonder how much other conventional wisdom in this trade is just wasteful habits.

Yeah wait till they say your work looks "familiar" and you realize you're just copying without noticing.

Grab a cheap paperback from a thrift store and practice the pamphlet stitch on it first. That way if you mess up (and you probably will the first time) you aren't ruining something you actually care about. The curved needle makes a huge difference too, don't bother trying with a straight one. Waxed thread is another one of those things where spending the extra dollar saves you from having to redo the whole job because the thread snaps midway through. Once you get the rhythm down it's almost meditative, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with glue.