Aloha!

I don't use Alum much any longer. When I was first learning to wet shave either DE or Straight, I'd use a block of Alum to "check my work", so to speak. Any stings I knew there was an issue. Now I only use a styptic pencil to seal an errant cut. I do have a nice Alum block in a case, basically brand new. I should start using it more. I just got out of the habit.

But for me, it's just a simple matter of wetting of the Alum block and rubbing it on the skin.

-Zip