In my never ending quest to over analyze and understand everything I do, I have a few questions for those more knowledgeable than I.

What makes a strop different from your run of the mill piece of leather?

I understand that certain materials, like horsehide, are seemingly preferred over others. But when it comes to regular old leather of the moo cow variety, what differentiates a strop, making it better? Other than the workmanship, the various notions that are used (D ring versus thong versus swivel clip), handles, etc. - which are sort of a given, that is. If one were to find a 2.5" genuine leather belt, or get a strip of leather from a leather shop like Tandy, what makes those any better or worse than say, a Tony Miller strop (other than the fact that the TM strops are beautifully made AND functional) or one of the Illinois strops? If it's simply a matter of raw material vs. finished product, I totally understand that. Just because my fiance went to fashion design school and knows how to make a suit jacket, and the materials are easy enough to come by, doesn't mean I get her to make my clothes - time and desire are factors, and I'd rather go to the men's store and buy one than have her devote the time to sewing one, simply for the sake of convenience. But I recognize that materials that make up the suit I buy are not in essence superior to the materials we could simply buy and assemble, and that I'm paying for the privilege and convenience of having someone else do the work for me. Is it the same thing when it comes to strops?

So to sum up my ramblings, is the difference between a leather belt you could get at the store on the cheap, a strip of raw leather you could get from the leather supplier, or a completed leather strop from a strop maker different only in the fact that they are tailored with details for specific use, or is there another variable that makes one better than the other?