Hey dudes and dudettes. I'm feeling all crafty and handy tonight, so I'm finally doing what I've been planning for ages and making a paddle strop. I got a sweet piece of wood (I think it's cypress...nice and pale.) and I got some leather and I've already cut the handle into the board. I'm looking at the leather and wondering if you could give me some advice about how to proceed...

So I got some shoe leather (I took The Verhoeven/SingleWedge route and went to a shoemaker, or rather a shoe repair shop, and got a big old chunk for pocket change) and it looks good. Dark and very smooth, almost like shell, but there is a slight--VERY SLIGHT--bit of wrinkling, like it's been bent at some point. Should I try to get rid of this? Sand it out? Or might it be ok? It's not really noticeable to the touch, just visual. After sanding, would treatment with camellia oil/mineral oil blend be ok, or should I try to find something more appropriate?

Also, the back of this leather is pretty smooth--not all rough and thready like most hide, but like velvet. It's soft, as well...would this be ok for pasting? I've got enough for both sides of the paddle, one pasted and one not...What do you think?

Last question--wood glue is ok, right? I don't need some special leather bond or anything?

Thanks, guys, and don't laugh, ok? I'm new at this!