I have the exact same strop, and when i recieved it, conditioned the leather side with some baseball glove oil. I drizzled some on and rubbed it in until it stopped abosrbing the oil readily. It was about three conditionings. Then i did it again once a-day for two days. The strop became softer, darker, and much less "nickable". I definately recommend rubbbing some oil into the strop. You won't ruin the linen side if you take it apart, lay the leather side on a table, and condition it that way, and then putting them back together when finished.