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Great, just what I wanted to hear.
Ordered mine just now ;)

Is it better for the leather to be soft or hard for stropping purposes?

Indeed I did. That's what I'm in the process of researching now.
Can't find horse leather anywhere :(

I think this will do :
3.8 TOOLING NATURAL VEG TAN LEATHER BELT BLANK 52" (132cm) CHOOSE...

Can' afford the 100 pound dovo strop but want something that's half decent.

Any one tried these ebay strops :
FIRST , ENGLISH. WIDE 3" LEATHER RAZOR STROP FINEST. | eBay

X LONG , ENGLISH THICK...