Red,
Good questions and I'm sure the guys here will lead you down the right path on how to choose. Most is really personal preference but as a beginner it is hard to already have the preference!.

The "weird" hours <g>. I know, they are not the norm, but let me explain:

I'm not a store, hence the hit or miss situation. I make strops as time allows, after a full time career in the aerospace industry and after my family obligations. Everything is made by hand, by me, with just a few trim details handled by a few craftsman friends of mine ( wooden blanks and limited assembly of finished components). At this pace I can sell far faster than I can make stuff so I close a few days a week to make new stock and ship orders that come in on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, I conduct no business. Weird yes, I agree. If this was my full time job I'd be running it as I do my day job, but as a sideline, family, faith and home comes first.

Thanks for considering my products.

Tony