This was a thing that happened. The developers understood that making newly crafted items no longer unbind would put some players into a situation where they have an item they were heating for someone else they can no longer get rid of. This was understandably upsetting, as resources went into those items. The linked announcement show GMs offering to return such items to their previous owner if you contacted them within a reasonable timeframe.
No such thing happened when people had poured endless resources into getting construct UVs on their elemental Sun Shards.
No such thing happened when people had crafted Mad Bomber, later made obsolete by the ridiculous Chaos Buff (which nothing has been done about in two months).
Why did they stop?
You're right...
I think it was a secret change of management. My guess is that Vanaduke killed Nick...