No of course it couldn't be something simple like he used a hand guided router to carve it out, that would make far too much sense. Lets also gloss over the fact that a laser burner CHARS THE WOOD. The carved parts are darker (like from friction), NOT CHARRED BLACK like a laser engraver does.
If he used a hand guided router, he would have video taped it because it would have helped his cause, but he didn't. So either he didn't\can't do it or he's trolling us, either way, I've seen enough to conclude this isn't worth any more of my time.
Let me ask you a simple question MrTeal. If this was in fact laser engraved, how come I do not see stacked lines of laser etching anywhere? The lines all look PERFECTLY SMOOTH, as if a ROUTER did it. Laser etchers stack lines on top of each other to form a pattern, they don't etch perfectly carved pieces without a pixelated edge. At best they use outlines which are then stacked inside of each other, again still leaving pixelation. Additionally, where is the black char from the laser engraver? Laser engravers BURN wood, the marks left clearly look like FRICTION BURNS FROM A ROTARY TOOL.