No idea what kind of stropping compound I have. It's black hard tarry stuff that's really a bugger to spread. I haven't had much trouble keeping the blades sharp, but my Joseph Elliot's Best Silver Steel is having some trouble finding an edge on the heel and toe of the blade. It smiles a little as I've seen they tend to do in pictures. And the scales are loose so the blade is knocking against them. Gonna have to re-scale it, not sure how I'll get the pins out but I'll prolly just give'r on that one.