Alun = Aluin?

OK (I'll stick to English in so far as possible), I've just hdd my first good half-shave with the newly-honed straight razor (did half my face, did the rest with Gillette), even though that was a resounding succse (compared to previous attempts), my skin still burns too much. Of course it doesn't help that I use 70% alcohol for aftershave (and cheapish Sanex balm-y stuff) But I read in another thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/post-...lum-block.html that applying an alum block to your face significantly reduces the burn.

Now, translation question: I do have an 'Aluin-stick', would that work the same? (Of coursee, it's a tiny stick, not a block which is big enough for your whole face) And if Aluin doesn't cut it, what would you suggest in place of my Sanex and aclohol? And no, I'd rather not order trans-atlantically or somesuch (like 'trans-North Sea-illy'). Thank you very much. in advance.

Short answer: ja, alum is aluin. :)

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Originally Posted by Oldengaerde

Short answer: ja, alum is aluin.

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A H. Nu wil het toeval dat ik voor het slapengaan heb ontdekt waar het branden vandaan kwam: mijn huid/rechterwang is aardig toegetakeld, het zit vol met van die kleine (rode) wondjes. En ik was nog wel zo blij met mijn eerste gladde scheerbeurt met het open mes! [glas = halfvol]mijn linkerwang (welke ik met Gilette heb geschoren)is nu al meer gestoppeld dan mijn rechter (die is ook ietwat gestoppeld, niet zo gek, ruim 12:27 na het scheren - wat ik altijd 's avonds doe).
En ik zi nu dat ik alum verkeerd heb gespeld - als aluN ipv aluM.
Overigens: heb jij enig idee waar ik blokken aluin kan kopen? En of dat aluin echt goed werkt tegen zo'n rode wang als ik nu heb?
(ik heb mijn mes nog wat extra geslspen - de olie begon nu zelfs wat grijs te worden van het slijpsel!)

Gewoon bij kruidvat, DA etc. Misschien heeft zelfs de Albert Heijn het. Ik heb destijds gewoon een blok bij de kruidvat gekocht.

Ik kocht de mijne op Amazon. Goede prijs en snelle levering!

Die klassieke scheerwinkel in Breukelen heeft ze ook. Ik heb zelf een stel van die italiaanse varianten gekocht in de blauwe doosjes. Goedkoopste en werkt als een trein.

ik heb de aluin van het merk van het kruidvat

Op eerder verzoek van SRP voorlopig in het Engels ;)

Alum is widely available. Makers don't matter a lot - there are no secret recipes otl: alum is alum and home brands are just as good as posh names - but there is something that does: whether the blocks are cut out of large crystals or pressed from small grains. The latter are prone to progressive crumbling, less shock resistant, and chipped corners are unpleasantly raw and will not get smooth.

To give two examples so you can compare: unlike the old square Vergulde Hand blocks, the new rounded blocks on the blue plastic base with a transparent cap are pressed. The also popular Tunney blocks in the blue-green cartons with mountain tops and a polar bear are cut.

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Originally Posted by DutchMarco;561641A H.

Nu wil het toeval dat ik voor het slapengaan heb ontdekt waar het branden vandaan kwam: mijn huid/rechterwang is aardig toegetakeld, het zit vol met van die kleine (rode) wondjes. !)

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Erm, are you sure your technique is ok ?? Sure, some of us have very sensitive skin, but for most of us those wounds mean there's something wrong, either with shaving technique (including preparation) or with the razor.

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Originally Posted by DutchMarco;561641A H.

(ik heb mijn mes nog wat extra geslspen - de olie begon nu zelfs wat grijs te worden van het slijpsel!)

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If I may enquire, what did you use to sharpen the razor ?? Did you perform sharpness tests ??

True, alum is a great indicator whether something else is wrong. And with beginners usually technique and a bad razor as a close runner-up.

Just to weigh in: I never use alum, because I can't stand the sting. However, my brother got a great tip once to pat his wet fingers on the alum block when skin stretching(he already has a straight, I don't). I have tried that trick once or twice and it does work!

If there's too much of a sting, there's something wrong.

I use alum for one purpose only: to test a newly honed razor and my technique. If all's well, you either feel nothing or a faint tingling that's not unpleasant.

I assume you don't use aftershave then ? Now that I don't like to use. Tends to burn my face off ...

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Originally Posted by decraew

If there's too much of a sting, there's something wrong.

I use alum for one purpose only: to test a newly honed razor and my technique. If all's well, you either feel nothing or a faint tingling that's not unpleasant.

I assume you don't use aftershave then ? Now that I don't like to use. Tends to burn my face off ...

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Well, I had been having a couple of issues in the aftershave department, but strangely a seemingly failed gift changed that!

My girlfriend bought me some shaving cream for christmas, but she doesn't know a lot about wetshaving. She just gave me a tub of cream from "Rituals", not knowing it was a brushless cream... At first I thought it would be money down the drain, but it's a 2-in-1 shave cream/aftershave. Now I just use it as an aftershave, aangelengd(sorry, couldn't think of the English word) with water. It forms a real protective barrier of quite neutral(it does contain ginger, but it doesn't sting at all!) moisturizing cream. Actually a very nice surprize :)

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Originally Posted by Rogier

aangelengd(sorry, couldn't think of the English word) with water.

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Watered down :o

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Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

Watered down :o

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Juste :)
What exams can do to people....