JoeN:
But, and I stress this, it seems to be working.
Key word: "seems"
LEDs don't explode in a shower of sparks when you stress them (well, not unless you really stress them) but they can easily fade over time. Even 0.2V extra can mean far too much current.
Where's the win if you make them "nice and bright" but that causes them to fade away to below what they should be at the correct power? All you did was raise your electricity bill.
JoeN:
Good enough for amateur work?
Depends on how long you need it to last, how many hours a day it's switched on, etc.