Hello, and welcome! About strops, you can indeed use newspaper; you can even fold it and hang it from a bulldog clip--there was a post about that a week or so ago. Search the site for Newspaper Strop.

Just as there are lots of RSOs (Razor-Shaped Objects) in the marketplace, there are also SSOs. Not all leather makes good stropping leather. Amazon doesn't have a reputation to maintain in our very niche market, so I'd recommend strop-shopping at a dedicated straight-razor vendor--Straight Razor Designs, The Superior Shave, Vintage Blades, etc. But in the meantime, you can use newsprint.

I think newsprint is good for practice anyway, since you'll be shy about putting too much pressure on it. That's fine, since stropping doesn't take any more pressure than that anyway, and you can damage a blade with sloppy stropping.

Best wishes and happy shaving!