I treated myself to a “Frank the Enforcer” in English Tan Dublin a few years ago, and am so happy with the way it’s performed that I splurged for a few more items this month. The leather on my “Frankie” gets more beautiful by the day; its patina has a glow that reminds me of beeswax candles when they are liquid hot. It’s a striking contrast to a couple of items by a rival, upscale leather company that I bought around the same time: after a few years of wear, the other company’s items just look tired and dirty. Meanwhile, customer service from Matt at Ashland has been beyond fabulous – when the colour was not what I was hoping for on a couple of items, he cheerfully replaced them. Of the new items, the carbon fibre comb + leather sheath combos make seriously cool and (relatively) affordable gifts.