Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21
Like Tree1Likes

Thread: alum bar?? how and why?

  1. #1
    Senior Member blabbermouth nessmuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    3,921
    Thanked: 581

    Default alum bar?? how and why?

    i guess i need to be filled in on this alum bar face treatment, where do you purchase it and what does it do for your face??

  2. #2
    Senior Member jimmyfingers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    186
    Thanked: 58

    Default

    Alum is a good product that I never heard about until I started coming to the forums. It has quite a few uses.

    Closes pores

    Helps stop bleeding of any weepers,

    It gives you feedback on how well you did shaving (it will burn on the places you got a little too aggressive

    you can rub some on your fingers to help your grip when stretching your skin

    It really helps stop razor bumps for me. Its a very cheap product and works.
    I use it for mosquito bites as well

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to jimmyfingers For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-19-2009)

  4. #3
    Hibernator ursus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    623
    Thanked: 134

    Default

    Wiki to the rescue: Alum - Straight Razor Place Wiki

    What I do with alum is take the bar and rub it on my face after the shave (when I've washed remaining lather off with warm water). The I let it sit there while I dry my razor, brush and cup. Then I wash it away with cold water (and apply balm).
    rickpalisoc likes this.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to ursus For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-19-2009)

  6. #4
    Senior Member kenneyty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Posts
    403
    Thanked: 82

    Default

    Ursus is pretty right on to how I use it. I'd suggest picking up a soap dish or something with raised ridges to set it on to dry out afterwards. They have a tendency to crack or get brittle if left wet.
    It's a very nice tight feeling you get after application.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to kenneyty For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-19-2009)

  8. #5
    Large Member ben.mid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Oxfordshire, England
    Posts
    3,096
    Thanked: 763

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jimmyfingers View Post
    you can rub some on your fingers to help your grip when stretching your skin
    I found that doing this caused problems with further passes due to it's astringent nature. The lather hates it too!

    I do like alum for the other reasons you mention though.

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to ben.mid For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-19-2009)

  10. #6
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    32,737
    Thanked: 5016
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    I use it all the time. It won't stop bleeding like a septic stick will though. It's great for the skin and is a great test for your shaving abilities.Most sites selling shaving supplies sell them. The cheapest place to get it is a Turkish products site in NYC whose name alludes me right now but I'm sure someone with a better memory than mine will come along with it.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to thebigspendur For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-19-2009)

  12. #7
    Senior Member sbrouwers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Woodward, OK
    Posts
    875
    Thanked: 348

    Default

    What everyone else has said fits how I use mine almost to a T. I use it after every shave. Rinse face with cold water, wet block, rub block all over where I have shaved, clean everything up (brush, dry razor, soap dish) cold rinse face, apply aftershave. Wow that's a lot of steps. It really seems to tighten up my skin closing the pores and such. Almost all the vendors listed on this site carry alum blocks.

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to sbrouwers For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-28-2009)

  14. #8
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    32,737
    Thanked: 5016
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    Talumba would be the site to get them the cheapest.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to thebigspendur For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-28-2009)

  16. #9
    Ouch!!! Cut-throat newb. Ruben00110010's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Boerne, TX
    Posts
    6
    Thanked: 2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ursus View Post
    Wiki to the rescue: Alum - Straight Razor Place Wiki

    What I do with alum is take the bar and rub it on my face after the shave (when I've washed remaining lather off with warm water). The I let it sit there while I dry my razor, brush and cup. Then I wash it away with cold water (and apply balm).
    Thanks for the info and the wiki link. That pretty much does it for me. I'm gonna get a block. Since I'm a cut-throat newb, I get razor burn galore.

  17. The Following User Says Thank You to Ruben00110010 For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-28-2009)

  18. #10
    Hibernator ursus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    623
    Thanked: 134

    Default

    Welcome mate,

    You're welcome. For newbie, it's quite useful item since it tells you where you need to improve your touch. However, it will sting if you are cutting too close, as the razor burn would suggest. But I'd imagine that will go away when you improve your technique (angle, pressure) and prep.

    Alum is nice, but it's no miracle cure. Aftershave balms might be nicer if you are experiencing razor burn.

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to ursus For This Useful Post:

    nessmuck (12-28-2009)

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •