Thanks for adding extra pictures. I hope you show these to the client - it makes it a lot more obvious how difficult it was. And shows the texture of the leather nicely.
Thanks for explaining your method! I really like how what you did darkened the tooling without obscuring the whole pattern, as seems to happen with antiquing unless you resist.
Interesting. I've never used that kind of leather. It certainly looks clean. In fact, I couldn't figure out how it wasn't dark from burnishing, but still looked good.
Thanks for the kind comments, everyone! It only lasted two hours in my etsy shop, so I guess I should make another one. And maybe a mandolin one, as well!
Yep, that's how it starts. Trying to save money, but spending way more than you were trying to save. But not to be regretted, because it's so fun!
I don't know anything about holsters, but they look great!