I normally strop with deflection, but I was surprised having just shaved with three different razors, all stropped with the spines off the strop, that there was no degradation. I think there may have been a slight improvement in the edge.
I was not able to get 1/8 th of an inch rise, perhaps closer to 3-4 mm. I was also able to use sound as a good indicator of rise. Maybe that is about the same distance?
It is much easier for me to raise the spine on the stroke toward me than the away stroke.