Shavers canary in a coal mine

[BiffBuff]

If you use an alum block to finish off your shave, I'd like to know if you've seen any change, any reduction of your block over time? Mine is two years old and has only recently started to show the slightest sign of shrinking at all! After every shave I rinse off the soap residue and apply my alum block. When I was new to DE razor shaving the hardest thing to learn (once I'd stopped nicking myself regularly) was where I needed improvement. Alum will tighten your skin and sting a bit in those problem areas.

I feel that it improves my shave -- lets me know the areas I'm workin' too hard -- and even seems to leave my beard Shave Ready for the next encounter. For me this is typically every thirty-six to forty-eight hours -- so I'm shaving approximately 180 times a year.

When this alum block finally shrinks to nothing I will probably just shave without it but, who knows? I do still think it is a great way to learn that light touch, and a first rate indicator of areas to improve on. Whatever blade you're using, I think you owe it to yourself to give alum a try.

[Squire]

Those things can last years which is a remarkably good value.