Thread: Why alum block vs. styptic pencil?

Aloha!

As mentioned by me esteemed colleagues, many use the Alum Block to "test" how they did with the shave. Huge sting means you burnt your skin a bit with the razor. "Tightening" of the skin is a figure of speech. Your skin pores don't necessarily "tighten" by contracting via muscles as pores have no muscles. But when cleaned out and free of dirt and oil the skin can appear tighter because the pores are free to close when they are empty, so an astringent "seems" to tighten skin. Styptic pencils are typically softer and are intended to clog bleeding from cuts, not to rub over large areas like an Alum Block. I use a Styptic for cuts and an Alum Block (or Stick) for rubbing over my face after shaving as an astringent and an anti-bacterial agent. It gives me feedback on how I did as a razor-master. Styptic pencils give me feedback on how I did as a butcher.

Alum is a natural astringent and anti-bacterial so it is a good way to finish up a shave. I also use an alum roll on for underarm deodorant. These are very inexpensive from places like Amazon and they last a very very long time. It works well for me and many others as a natural deodorant. Then I am free to use any aftershave or cologne I want with no specific scent from a commercial underarm deodorant.

Both of my Alum products (after shave and under arm) I have in "stick" form. It's just easier for me to have a plastic twist-up container for use at home and for travel. Both available from Amazon;



UNDER ARM

FACE AFTER SHAVE

PS, if you are razor burning yourself with a DE, you are either applying too much pressure to the shave, or using too aggressive a blade reveal if an adjustable razor, or going over dry skin without re-applying lather or any combination of these. Also, blade sharpness and blade reveal of fixed razors factor into this. I love Feather blades, but in the wrong razor (too much blade reveal) and with too much pressure while shaving, they can give you the razor burn from hell. In my tame Merkur 34c or my tame Jagger DE89 with tiny blade reveal, the Feather is a miraculous blade. But even then I can't press on the skin with the razor or I'll STILL get Razor burn. There is a science behind blade sharpness, blade reveal, and pressure on the skin while shaving. Go easy and let the razor do the work. And never go over an area multiple times with no lather if you can help it.

Zip, i remember using the Feather blade in the Jagger 89. It was a great match for me too. Then i found a very agressive razor and tried the feather and found it was a BAD match! Bad things kept happening to my face and i learn to use another blade. Now a straight is the way to go and the alum is still a good way to test the shave.

Agreed Jerry.

Many Noobs go VERY easy with VERY little pressure when first applying a straight blade to their face because there is a bit of fear. And in a way, that's GOOD. Pressure and blade sharpness and blade reveal (or angle of attack on a straight razor) all combine to either give you a perfect shave or a tragic shave. The OP Posted that he was still using a DE for his chin, and that's typical, understandable and good practice. Many razor-meisters will tell you to ONLY do CHEEKS on your first few times applying a blade to your face just to get used to angle, pressure and technique. IMO, this is good form. Being able to manipulate the straight over challenging facial areas comes in time, but there is no reason to push this. Using a DE on those areas until you get the skill-set required to properly tackle them is the way to go.

Feather blades in my Merkur or Jagger are miraculous for my skin. BBS every time. But again, I can 't PUSH it. If I let the razor do the work and do a gentle three pass shave with good lather, my skin comes out flawless. Although I prefer shaving with a straight razor, sometimes in life, I just need to grab a DE and get it done quickly. For those times, I have settled on the Feather/Merkur or Feather/Jagger combo for my skin and shaving style. As with all things wet-shaving, YMMV really rings true here.

I've tried all manner of combinations. And there are other blades that are close to a Feather in comparison, but if I had to choose only one, it would be the Feather in my DE as long as those razors I posted were the device the blade was affixed to. Other razors demand other blades on my skin with my shaving style.

-Zip

Most people coming from only using cartridge razors have no clue what no pressure means. I have used DEs on and off all my life but it took a straight razor to teach me what no pressure meant. Once I got my straight razor shaving technique sorted out I was able to shave with my Gillette Fat Boy @9 with Feather blade. Before that the best I could muster was a setting of 4-5. Just shows you how important getting the angle and pressure right be it DEs/SEs or straight razor. The straight razor is a marvelous teacher and like with any teacher you have to listen to what they are telling you in order to learn.

Bob

I agree Bob with having no idea on what no pressure means. I went from the plastic blue razors to a DE and though, No pressure? Hows that going to shave anything. Then I learned to hold the DE by the tip of the handle with two fingers and use just the weight of the razor and found it worked. Then a month later I found I could hold the razor right and find the correct pressure.

When going to the straight I again had an issue with pressure and after a few months and a lot of pain I figured it out. Nothing wrong with using a DE and straight together and slowly learn the straight. You got to do what works best for you when putting sharp things to your face. But I regress. Back to Alum!

Thanks for all the feedback!
I use a Merkur Barber Pole as my first and only DE for over seven years. I've tried Feather but I get cut almost every time. Perhaps I"m applying too much pressure or it's not a match for my DE. Instead, I like Merkur blades. I rarely get any nicks with those.

It's still a challenge on the chin area with a SR but I've only done about ten shaves so far. Today I did only downward passes on cheeks and neck. Under chin on neck area I did upward passes. Below nose I need to do WTG and XTG.

Don't worry, give yourself about 3 months of everyday shaving with a straight to get reasonably proficient with it. Slow and steady does the trick.

Bob

Only ten shaves in and you are worried about trouble getting your chin? I think I was worried about not cutting off an ear on WTG on my cheeks at that point!
Expect to clean up with your DE for a while, it takes a few months to get it all sorted out.

As for your original question, Alum is used as the first step in the after shave process. Rinse the soap off, put alum on. Some people like it, some people don't.
It is also useful if you have to hold onto something slippery, a little on your fingertips can help hold your skin while shaving - or hold onto a greasy bolt while working on an engine.

I love the alum block. After shaving, I rinse the leftover lather off with warm water (keeps the pores open), wet the alum block, and rub it over my face, especially anywhere there is a small nick or weeper. Yes, the amount of sting tells you how kind you've been to your face, or how sharp the razor was, etc. It also is mildly antiseptic, and however the tightening effect works, yes, that feels wonderful. I leave it on while I'm stropping my razor (I strop after shaving) and rinsing out my brush. I then rinse it off with the coldest water I can get from my faucet, followed by aftershave balm and then my favorite bay rum aftershave. The whole process leaves my skin feeling fresh, alive, tingly!

I only use the styptic pencil for actual cuts and nicks that the alum doesn't close. It doesn't actually "clog" the cut, but causes the opening to constrict, which limits bleeding. The powdery nature of it then does help clotting, but it's the constriction that seems to do the trick.

Never used an alum block before. I may have to give them a try. Anything special I should look for?