One thing to keep in mind is that every single leather strop is made from a natural product therefore you can always have slight differences in the product...

I have had 8 different #827's go through my hands in the last year in fact I just got 2 in yesterday....I end up giving them away
I had one that was a little bent, other than that I have never had a problem with them... I just rub in some neatsfoot oil for the first 3 days of use and I put that on with an old washcloth.... It sounds like yours just needs a rubdown, many people recommend a bottle burnish I however do not on these strops, if you want a smooth strop buy a smooth strop....

I have switched to the SRD premium for my personal everyday strop simply way to sweet of a strop...

But for after honing, I still use my #827.... I like that slightly rougher finish on the leather and the linen that they use...