When I started shaving with a straight I bought a styptic pencil. It got used a lot and I always ran it under the tap to make it white again. It dissolved quickly and I didn't replace it because I had pretty much stopped cutting myself and anyway my alum block did the job if I needed it.

I was in the Pharmacy yesterday and picked up a styptic pencil on a whim.

I think that maybe we must cut ourselves just because we can stop the bleeding with those pencils.

I put my new styptic pencil out with my other shaving necessities and promptly cut myself, not badly, just a nick but I haven't cut myself for such a long time.

I am convinced that if I hadn't bought that styptic pencil I wouldn't have cut myself, maybe their cursed.