Surprisingly it didn't take too much effort on the first cheap strop. I dug it in deep and removed it by pulling the blade sideways and down instead of backing it out. It cut through that strop like a carpet knife through paper.
And immediately after the bottom of the strop hit the floor I muttered "You #*$$#&*(# idiot, you new better than to do that!"

But I haven't done it again, so I learned my lesson.