Well, two points here. First, yes a strop makes a big difference in shave quality. One of the few points no one will argue about is that a strop is a necessary part of the razor prep before a shave. Point two; As far as a quality strop goes it depends how you define a quality strop. It doesn't have to be extra thick with some secret tanning process but does have to be a quality piece of leather that is smooth and is capable of dressing the razor's edge. Its similar to a razor, a $25.00 Eboy special can shave just a good as a $1000.00 Maestro. Is the overall quality the same? No it isn't but the shave can be. The same with a strop. A properly manufactured piece of leather can do the same job whether its $30.00 or $80.00. I'm sure Tony will have an opinion on this though.