Great post, Greg! '52 B is a really pretty set, and I am enjoying putting it together as well. I just happen to have further to go than only Mantle at this point, but there's no rush. The fun is in the journey. Like you, I am building mine in lower grade...avoiding writing, paper loss, miscuts, etc. You are correct, the cards hold up pretty well. I am finding that some condition issues are harder to see once the cards are in my binder.
They are relatively affordable as well.
The era from roughly 1950 to about 1956 or 1957 is my very favorite era of baseball history, and this set (for me at least) really helps to tell the story of this era. I read about this era extensively, and it is fun for me to obtain many of the commons almost as much as some of the stars because I have read about those common players. It is rewarding being able to put a face with the name from the book.
I think you forgot to attach your scans. I'd love to see them. This could be a fun thread. Most of my set isn't within my reach at the moment, but I will get my hands on it and share some of my favorites as well.