Ok, so I picked up a styptic pencil a while ago and I am clear on how to use it but I don't feel that it is being taken care of very well. After I wet it and apply as needed, the water drips down the whole pencil and makes a mess in my hand. I don't want to take a towel to the thing for fear of staining it but I doubt it will last very long air drying.
A most humble suggestion would be to switch to an alum bar and be done with the mess (and white stain) of the styptic pencil. My skin thanked me after the switch.
If your face is already wet, then there's no need to wet the pencil. And be sure to rinse off any blood that might remain on the pencil. The pencil will eventually get ugly, but what are ya gonna do?
I agree with the method of simply dipping the tip of the pencil in water. If the issue persists you may consider using styptic matches (never used myself);I assume you use once and throw away.
For the occasional cut, styptic pencils are hard to beat. And, like everyone has said, just a dab of water on the tip, or an already wet face, is all you need - the dryer you can keep them the better. The one I have is made by Clubman, I believe, and comes in its own little plastic storage tube with a red cap which keeps it from messing up other surfaces and is great to throw into the Dopp kit. I got mine at Harris Teeter for $2.
i once went into the pharmacy at a large grocery store. i asked where the styptic pencils were and the lady told me that they don't have any antique shaving supplies
Gil
futur/EJ357/ gillette redtip
iridium ,blue IP
thater, shavemac.anchorset/tgn,sr3226
dirty bird
and a prayer
For me, alum usually does the job for the once-a-week nick.
For the once-a-year flesh wound, I'll use a styptic pencil with a drop of juice from a nasal inhaler on it. The combination will seal the worst of wounds in a few seconds.
If you don't like using the pencil, Serg, use vaseline instead. Simply put a drop on a que-tip and apply. When the cut is sealed, wipe away the goo.
Jack
"All you need is love, love...love is all you need."
ateace wrote:I just moisten the tip, apply and rinse off the evidence. Eventually, the pencil may lose its pristine look, but that's the nature of the beast.
That's what I do. Then I dry it on a towel, put it back in the package it was sold in, then into the medicine cabinet.
Didn't your styptic pencil come in some kind of cover, like on the pic? Ofcourse it get's wet, but after drying like advised on this board, you can really last with a pencil without it getting everything else and your hands messed up.
