Hi Guys

I recently had a leathersmith here in SA make up a simple strop for me, and well I got it in the mail the other day, but am not sure what the surface of a good strop should feel and look like. This is my first strop, so I just don't really have anything to compare it to...

I asked if he had Cordovan leather as I've read that is the best for strops, he said he didn't have that but instead had Donkey leather which he said was very comparable to cordovan and definitely better than cowhide.

So now having the strop in hand (which is more like a proof of concept at the moment, since he's making me another with a hemp back) I just don't know if the surface of the leather is right... I was anticipating more of a suedy sharkskin kind of smoothness, but this looks almost too hard and shiny, like it has a thin coat of lacquer clear coat on it?? And when the strop is bent slightly, it crinkles and creases quite a lot - but when pulled tight it is quite smooth and bump-free. Should I "break in" this surface by lightly sanding it? Is the leather too dry perhaps, and should I oil it? Is this thing supposed to be shiny-smooth?

Please take a look at the HUGE images I've posted, and let me know if you guys reckon this is the right kinda thing going on here. NOTE: these are macro shots and they do kinda over-emphasize things a bit - in real viewing the shine and creases aren't so pronounced.

Thanks so much