alum block

gil3591 · Post by **gil3591** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:57 am

ok, i'll admit i'm a newbie so i can ask this question without any sense of embarassment: what's an "alum block"

ChemErik · Post by **ChemErik** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:32 am

It is a small block of potasium alum, a mineral that acts as a bactericide, and astingent. It can be used as an after shave and while slower acting, can be used in place of styptic.

desertbadger · Post by **desertbadger** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:30 pm

It also used to be part of the ritual of a baber shop shave. The barber would pass it over the customer's face after a shave. All the various health codes took care of that along with the shave that you will not very often get from a barber anymore.
Best,
David

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:40 pm

Some guys still use them daily but mine stays in the box.

gr_elias · Post by **gr_elias** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:51 am

It can also give you feedback about the quality of your shave. If you are using much pressure or going fast alum will tell you that, at the end of the shave!

jww · Post by **jww** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:18 am

I never leave alum on my face -- I rub it on after my last warm rinse, do my cleanup (takes usually a couple of minutes or so) and then rinse my face well with the coldest water I can get from my tap (temperature is seasonally dependent).

Elias is correct, that alum will tell you right away where you have been less than attentive to technique. I have had many an interesting conversations with my blocks over the years. Osma speaks French, German and English, while TOBS clearly has a cockney twang in it's voice. You outta hear the TOBS and MWF chatter back-and-forth. The North of England vs The South of England.

goose · Post by **goose** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:56 am

Squire wrote:Some guys still use them daily but mine stays in the box.

I'm the same as Squire except I just tossed mine in the trash. I didn't notice any benefits and found the Alum would actually cause me irritation.

Clint

Post by **ichabod** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:23 am

I have knocked my alum block off the shelf twice, and now have three alum blocks, one of which is "travel size" and the other of which I found when sweeping the bathroom floor.

If I had to choose a piece of my shaving kit to knock off the shelf it'd be the alum block.

I find it has a kind of drying/tightening feel to it which I don't particularly like. Apparently I like my face wet and loose...

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:59 pm

Wet and loose works for me.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:08 pm

I've tried them repeatedly over the years, and never have cared for them. I guess I'm with the 'wet and loose' crowd as well.
Regards,
Gordon

Oldsmoothie · Post by **Oldsmoothie** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:44 am

I've tried the alum block but didn't care for it much. It's still in the box and hasn't seen daylight for months.

Haine · Post by **Haine** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:32 pm

Never tried one, been intending to tho. Don't like the way my press-on styptic pen works. >_<

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:34 pm

Lionel, Better still, get to the point where you don't need a styptic pencil.
Regards,
Gordon

Haine · Post by **Haine** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:51 pm

bernards66 wrote:Lionel, Better still, get to the point where you don't need a styptic pencil.
Regards,
Gordon

I can only wish.

I'm seriously considering purchasing a long handle Krona, or maybe a Barborpole. =P I've a sampler of Trumpers coming, maybe top-shelf cream will give me the addition I need to get a shave that doesn't maul my ass.

Albeit admittedly, I'm not getting nearly as much irritation as I got the few few shaves. Probably because I was also trying to shave at least twice a week while I still had a nasty case of bumps. >_<

ChemErik · Post by **ChemErik** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:58 pm

I'll add that in my relatively short wet shaving experience, that most of the guys who seem to like the alum have oily skin. Guys with dry skin almost always detest it and guys with "normal" are rather hit and miss.

I have rather oily skin and really like my alum block. It helps my skin heal, reduces the amount of oil my skin makes, and unless I give myself a real serious gauging at some point keeps me from need to use a styptic pencil. I think I actually healed from the couple DE cuts I've had nicer and faster then the cuts I had over the years from a Mach 3 stopped with styptic.

Adeptus_Minor · Post by **Adeptus_Minor** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:12 pm

ChemErik wrote:I'll add that in my relatively short wet shaving experience, that most of the guys who seem to like the alum have oily skin. Guys with dry skin almost always detest it and guys with "normal" are rather hit and miss.

I have rather oily skin and really like my alum block. It helps my skin heal, reduces the amount of oil my skin makes,

Sounds like I wouldn't want one for my cheeks, but it might be nice for my (growing) forehead.

Jonnieboy61 · Post by **Jonnieboy61** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:10 am

I'm with squire,

I have never got with Alum blocks and have tried many over the years. But for small nicks (the odd occasion) I prefer a Styptic pen. Seal's the cut almost instantly.

All the best

John

Mr. Spacely · Post by **Mr. Spacely** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:48 pm

jww wrote:I never leave alum on my face -- I rub it on after my last warm rinse, do my cleanup (takes usually a couple of minutes or so) and then rinse my face well with the coldest water I can get from my tap (temperature is seasonally dependent).

+1 - I use same method

Occam · Post by **Occam** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:47 am

I love the alum block... really is like the icing on a great shave.

I like the feeling and ritual of using it... and have never had a trace of redness on my neck since beginning to use it...

These days I hardly get a sting out of it... it almost feels like a waste of time... but it has an antiperspirant effect that is very worthwhile in a hot humid climate like Brisbane... no stinging ever after shaving from sweat...

I also apply after my final wash... then rinse out my brush and then wash my face again of any alum residue.

The tightness occurs only if you've damaged your skin in my experience in which case you get quite a bit of accompanying stinging. With a good shave the alum does not cause the tightening effect.

I use Bloc Osma... which is a nice size... but I have a Thierry Mugler alum bloc that cost $36 AUD and has a nice soap bar shape which I can't wait to use when my current block has worn away... should be a few years going at the rate it wears out... ie. very slowly.

Just my 0.02... but I love the alum block...

PRose · Post by **PRose** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:49 pm

I opted to use Thayers Superhazel instead of an alum block. I have no desire to try an alum block because I'm so happy with the Thayer's. I picked mine up at the local whole foods store.