Old Strop Question

I have an Illinois 6455 strop. Both sides are leather, one side says "imported genuine shell" the other side is black and textured. The black side has the texture of linen but is definitely leather, almost as though it is embossed. First, does anybody have a clue as to how old this thing is? The shell (smooth) side is in very nice shape so I intend to use that but what about the textured side, should I try to use it as well?
I intend to buy a new strop eventually, probably from Tony Miller, but will this one work for now? Thanks for any advice.