All alum not alike?

[rdangelo]

So a couple years ago when I started on this shaving improvement mission, I ordered a "Famous Brand" alum block from Amazon probably. I have held it under cold water, etc., and it never seemed to do much. I'd still leak, and I really wondered if it was a psychosomatic placebo kind of thing. So a couple months ago I ordered a little "styptic" thing from Col. Conk looking like a lip balm container. I realized there was an alum stick in it, so I tried that, disappointed. But THIS one has actually stopped my bleeding every time. And it stings like a ****, if I have been using a Feather blade. Then my aftershave balms don't seem to adhere to my skin as well. But after the stinging subsides my face feels fine.

Are all alums not the same. Apparently there are various chemical formulas for what constitutes "alum". Any thoughts on the aftershave issue and/or what brands of alum work best. The Famous Brand one is useless. I'm tossing it.

 

[The Last Chimney]

You want potassium alum. If it's ammonium alum, it will be very harsh.

Anything labeled potassium alum will be fine, even if it's not specifically marketed for shaving use. I have a Bloc Osma, which is a little pricey due to being hand-cut, but alum is cheap anyway.

If you want something in a slightly more user-friendly shape, you could check out RazoRock.

 

[njpaddy]

I've used powdered alum for over 40 years. Cheap, unbreakable and you can use as little or as much as you need. Tried the block recently and didn't like it.

 

[Ski-Patroller]

You want potassium alum. If it's ammonium alum, it will be very harsh.

Anything labeled potassium alum will be fine, even if it's not specifically marketed for shaving use. I have a Bloc Osma, which is a little pricey due to being hand-cut, but alum is cheap anyway.

If you want something in a slightly more user-friendly shape, you could check out RazoRock.

I'm a fan of the Bloc Osma also. If you have weepers it will usually stop them. It also will let you know right now if you have razor burn.

If you don't drop it on a tile, it will last a year or so of daily use.

 

[BroJohn]

Sometimes you'll encounter the Potassium alum labeled as Potash Alum.

Note that 'potash' alum = potassium alum.

HTH

-- John Gehman

 

[Optometrist]

+2 for block osma. Never fails me.

David

 

[rajagra]

Styptic pencil should be very different from alum block. Styptic is white and opaque like a stick of chalk, alum has transparency to it. And they have different purposes. Styptic to stop bleeding, alum to disinfect and tone the skin (and stop minor bleeding.)

Bloc Osma did the job well for me, but is easy to drop and damage. I've recently bought a cylinder-shape alum block. It was cheaper, has 120g instead of the normal 75g, and is much easier to use without dropping. It feels the same, and the listed ingredient is Potassium Alum.

View attachment 135269

Edit> Has anyone tried to repair a shattered alum block by dissolving it and trying to reform it?

 

[rdangelo]

Thanks for all the clarifications, guys! BTW, it was "Classic Brand" alum, not "Famous Brand". I have no idea what whether there's K in it.

 

[Pkrankow]

Edit> Has anyone tried to repair a shattered alum block by dissolving it and trying to reform it?

It is probably no different from growing crystals in high school chemistry or making rock candy. Do yourself a favor and use distilled water.

Phil

 

[The Last Chimney]

Thanks for all the clarifications, guys! BTW, it was "Classic Brand" alum, not "Famous Brand". I have no idea what whether there's K in it.

What? There's no K in Cl- OH.

 

[kg0mz]

I go through a Shavex block a year. You can get them at Classic Shaving, I get mine elsewhere, cheaper. You can probably find blocks of potash alum cheaper, but for me it is a brand loyalty thing. Comes in a nice plastic box. Hypo-allergenic. Even if you drop it you can still use the large pieces. I wouldn't be without one.

 

[BCatl]

You can get alum powder on the spice rack at your grocery. The must have been overstocked or something this week as I found 2 bottles for 79 cents each in the "scratch and dent" buggy. Super sale! They were in fine shape. People use them for pickling but I don't think people pickle anymore around where I live!

Anyway, it's food grade so I put about 1/8 (maybe 1/4) tp. in my hand, mixed just a little water at first, then added a bit more and rubbed it on my neck. Very nice. Left it on about a minute I guess then rinsed it off. I have no idea if it was K or ammonium alum, but it didn't sting. Left the same feel as using an alum block.

 

[njpaddy]

You can get alum powder on the spice rack at your grocery.

+1 on the powdered alum.

The McCormick on the left are actually tiny crystals. The Kroger brand is more like a powdered sugar. The powdered (now crunchy) one on the right is the can I've had for 45 years. I believe it was actually labeled Shaving Alum at one time and sold in the shaving isle of drug stores. SWMBO hates that old can and threatens to throw it out if she finds it. I bought the new ones to throw her off the scent, but still use the old can when alum is required.

 

[fccexpert]

There are indeed a number of different alums as this is a name for a class of chemicals. As others have pointed out, the classical alum is potassium alum, or more correctly potassium aluminum alum (all alums contain two metals).

Most styptic pencils are not alums at all but instead are made from aluminum sulfate.

 

[BCatl]

+1 on the powdered alum.

The McCormick on the left are actually tiny crystals. The Kroger brand is more like a powdered sugar. The powdered (now crunchy) one on the right is the can I've had for 45 years. I believe it was actually labeled Shaving Alum at one time and sold in the shaving isle of drug stores. SWMBO hates that old can and threatens to throw it out if she finds it. I bought the new ones to throw her off the scent, but still use the old can when alum is required.

Mine is a Kroger brand also. I am really surprised by how well it works. It's a little gritty at first, but once the water gets to it on the face, it smoothes out well.

 

[rdangelo]

What? There's no K in Cl- OH.

What?

 

[The Last Chimney]

What?

Huh?

 

[Ski-Patroller]

For those that use powdered Alum:

Do you put it on your whole face or just use it to stop weepers.?

With an Osma Bar, I rub it over my face, but it just takes a moment. Among other things it lets me know if I have a little razor burn.

 

[njpaddy]

For those that use powdered Alum:
Do you put it on your whole face or just use it to stop weepers.?

I only use it to stop bleeding so I don't use it that often. I don't see why you couldn't sprinkle the powder into your hand and rub it on a damp face. It may be a little messier than an alum block, but I imagine it would have the same effect.

 

[BCatl]

+1. I use it like I mentioned in my post above (#12).