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How to best use alum

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
I use it on weepers - around 4 or 5 times a year, but some people use it after every shave. It's too drying for me, so I use WH.

Weepers after every shave means you are most likely doing one of two things (or both):

1. Too much pressure. This is an easy one to fix. Hold the razor just firmly enough that you don't drop it in the sink. When you think your pressure is light enough reduce it by 50%. Over the years I have read many posts about shavers who thought they had light pressure and suddenly had an epiphany while using less.

2. Bad razor angle. This is almost always too steep, as if you go in the other direction the blade lifts off your face. This one is not as easy to fix, but we've all been through it and it's not like golf - you will definitely learn it with a little experimentation. Try rolling back onto the cap a little. Is the razor still cutting? Play with the angle a bit and see if you can't find one that produces less irritation.

Some razors and some blades (and some combinations) are poor fits for some faces. But the usual way to produce irritation and blood is poor razor angle - consequently compounded by trying to fix that by adding more pressure. Try different razor angles, but more pressure is never the right solution. And stop bleeding all the time. Blood is not a necessary part of your daily shave. If you do what you did, you'll get what you got.

Good luck.
 
1. Too much pressure. This is an easy one to fix. Hold the razor just firmly enough that you don't drop it in the sink. When you think your pressure is light enough reduce it by 50%. Over the years I have read many posts about shavers who thought they had light pressure and suddenly had an epiphany while using less.
Pretty sure it's gotta be this. I use a Henson AL-13, and the design sort of forces you to use the correct angle or it doesn't cut at all.
 
Gonna really try not to use any pressure at all today. Hopefully still get a close shave even if not BBS and see what the alum does then.


It really drives me crazy, it's usually just the moustache and/or between the chin and lower lip (soul patch area?). Not even the neck, where I see a lot of people complain about sensitivity. But after WTG and XTG, the moustache and soul patch are still fuzzy, so I shave ATG - carefully, because I know this part gives me trouble - and inevitably there's a few pin pricks of blood.
On my soul patch area, the hair follicles seem to be naturally a little bumpy. It's easy for me to get weepers there especially (using a straight) if I try to shave the whole area at once. ATG I have found that several vertical strokes that only contact a very narrow area at a time seems to be the key. Pushing my lip out with my tongue to make a round surface is what works for me.

As far as alum, I've never used it and doubt I'll start now.
 
The "bumpy hair follicles" could be nothing else than trapped hair, easily resolved through scrubbing action of any kind. I am a firm believer in facial scrubs and have been successfully using them for several years.
Gillette sponsored a study some years ago with some interesting results. You may want to look into that.
 
The "bumpy hair follicles" could be nothing else than trapped hair, easily resolved through scrubbing action of any kind. I am a firm believer in facial scrubs and have been successfully using them for several years.
Gillette sponsored a study some years ago with some interesting results. You may want to look into that.
Mine are a little bumpy in that area whether it's freshly shaved or a month's growth, so I don't think it's that.
 
Gonna really try not to use any pressure at all today. Hopefully still get a close shave even if not BBS and see what the alum does then.


It really drives me crazy, it's usually just the moustache and/or between the chin and lower lip (soul patch area?). Not even the neck, where I see a lot of people complain about sensitivity. But after WTG and XTG, the moustache and soul patch are still fuzzy, so I shave ATG - carefully, because I know this part gives me trouble - and inevitably there's a few pin pricks of blood.
Honestly, there's nothing wrong with a DFS or a CCS. Even a SAS is perfectly fine. There is no reason to chase a BBS if it results in weepers every shave. I can usually get a BBS just because of how my beard grows, but that may not be the case for everyone. There's no rule that every shave must be a BBS.

Of course, this is where @rbscebu chimes in with how a straight razor can cut much closer and with less irritation so as to make a BBS all but guaranteed with every shave. 😉
 
Just buy some McCormicks Alum in the spice isle of your grocery, wet finger, apply and brush off when dry. Problem solved
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
....

Of course, this is where @rbscebu chimes in with how a straight razor can cut much closer and with less no irritation so as to make a BBS all but guaranteed with every shave. 😉
Corrected above.

That's where my problem was. I don't want a BBS shave. It left me with nothing to shave 24 hours later. I now only do WTG + 2 x XTG plus a fool's pass to check the edge quality. This gives me a DFS+ and something to shave 24 hours later.

Closeness and no irritation only comes with a developed SR shaving technique. Thirty daily SR shaves seems to get most men there.
 
Honestly, there's nothing wrong with a DFS or a CCS. Even a SAS is perfectly fine. There is no reason to chase a BBS if it results in weepers every shave. I can usually get a BBS just because of how my beard grows, but that may not be the case for everyone. There's no rule that every shave must be a BBS.
But it feels so good to have a really close shave. (And my wife likes it too! 😁) There will be days that I only have time for a pass or 2, but I’m going to be ok with a SAS or CCS every time, I feel like I might as well just order from Harry’s and be done with this.

Anyway, I have my answer on the alum: No it shouldn’t sting all over, and no I don’t need to apply it everywhere unless I want that feedback. Gonna try a new cream when my current one runs out in a few days, keep trying blades, and be really careful about pressure. If none of that works, I’ll ask more questions before throwing in the towel. I appreciate the responses so far.
 
But it feels so good to have a really close shave. (And my wife likes it too! 😁) There will be days that I only have time for a pass or 2, but I’m going to be ok with a SAS or CCS every time, I feel like I might as well just order from Harry’s and be done with this.

Anyway, I have my answer on the alum: No it shouldn’t sting all over, and no I don’t need to apply it everywhere unless I want that feedback. Gonna try a new cream when my current one runs out in a few days, keep trying blades, and be really careful about pressure. If none of that works, I’ll ask more questions before throwing in the towel. I appreciate the responses so far.
Honestly, to me, it sounds like it could be either a technique issue or a hardware issue.

When I started DE shaving, I used a MicroTouch One TTO razor. I had to repeatedly buff every bit of skin (as I chased the BBS). I didn't know better and thought that was the price of a good shave. After I switched razors, I learned I could get a smooth irritation free shave.

This has been especially true for me with the Fatip OC Piccolo. It's very efficient without being aggressive. I've been getting great BBS shaves with it. The only irritation I do get when shaving with it is from my own carelessness.

While the Fatip OC Piccolo has proven the best razor for me, it may not be the same for others. YMMV is pretty significant when it comes to shaving. Still, if you haven't tried it yet, I'd encourage you to look into getting (a new Mk 2) one. It's roughly $20 USD, so it shouldn't set you back too much. Also, it's well-liked enough in this forum so that if it doesn't work for you, you can probably sell it in the BST pretty easily.

Aside from trying new hardware, have you considered shaving with a steeper/shallower angle? For some people, a steeper angle provides a better shave while others need a shallower angle.

In any case, good luck!
 

Ratso

Mr. Obvious
I use the alum block after every shave to determine if I got a good shave with little irritation.
A shave with no weepers and little alum feedback is a good shave. Except for full beard season I keep data on every shave which includes alum feedback, nicks or weepers, smoothness, and closeness. Not to mention soap and brush. Lather volume and slickness for the soap is also recorded. Razor and blade too. Pretty much every variable that makes up a shave.
 
Corrected above.

That's where my problem was. I don't want a BBS shave. It left me with nothing to shave 24 hours later. I now only do WTG + 2 x XTG plus a fool's pass to check the edge quality. This gives me a DFS+ and something to shave 24 hours later.

Closeness and no irritation only comes with a developed SR shaving technique. Thirty daily SR shaves seems to get most men there.
I stand corrected, sir!
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
@T Bone you may as well throw in the towel now and move on to straight razors. After 30 daily SR shaves you will be wondering why you didn't start SR shaving in your teens.

You can set yourself up for SR shaving with all new gear for well under USD 200. That will last you decades. Trust me. I'm an engineer.
 
I mostly use it as a pre-shave mainly due to its inherent astringent properties as it improves skin smoothness and - I would assume, though have yet to test that clinically - helps with stubble firmness as well.
 
2. Bad razor angle. This is almost always too steep, as if you go in the other direction the blade lifts off your face. This one is not as easy to fix, but we've all been through it and it's not like golf - you will definitely learn it with a little experimentation. Try rolling back onto the cap a little. Is the razor still cutting? Play with the angle a bit and see if you can't find one that produces less irritation.
This really helped me, except I took the opposite approach. I started with the cap on my face and slowly roll it down until I feel the blade begin to catch. Then it’s just a matter of letting the razor do the work.

If I’m doing a second pass from the bottom of my neck, I do the same thing only in reverse. I place the cap flat on my neck and and gently roll it up until I feel it begin to catch and then slowly guide it up my neck. As time as gone bye I’ve become better at it and I guide it up my neck more quickly.
 
Hey T-Bone! Or maybe we should call you Gammy. 🤣. I love Seinfeld. Love the avatar too, it’s perfect! I just recently, we’ll the past 3/4 months, have been growing out my mustache and that episode with Jerry and George having mustaches popped up a few weeks ago and we both looked at each other and started to die of laughter. (my wife and I play Seinfeld constantly)

Anyway, I was also about to purchase some Alum as well recently and decided to search the forums on it and, well, your post popped up, so it was meant to be. Lot of good info on your post.

I’ve been shaving with a DE safety razor for about 8 years now, Im no professional by any stretch of the imagination, but at first my mustache area would just bleed out all the time. I cannot remember how long it took before this wasn’t a thing anymore but it went away after sometime. More than likely because my technique got better.

I still get weeps or nicks from time to time because Im going to fast or didn’t notice a in-grown hair and nick the top off, but my over all weepers and nicks have been reduced quite a bit, but still happen.

I didn’t even know that there was such a thing to take care of them until recently when I decided that I wanted to buy more shaving products and have been reviewing and reading up on different products.

I’m now between getting an alum block or a styptic pencil 🤔
 
Hey T-Bone! Or maybe we should call you Gammy. 🤣. I love Seinfeld. Love the avatar too, it’s perfect! I just recently, we’ll the past 3/4 months, have been growing out my mustache and that episode with Jerry and George having mustaches popped up a few weeks ago and we both looked at each other and started to die of laughter. (my wife and I play Seinfeld constantly)
Haha, nobody calls me T-Bone in real life either, so you're welcome to address me as Koko The Monkey too. 🐒😂😂

I’ve been shaving with a DE safety razor for about 8 years now, Im no professional by any stretch of the imagination, but at first my mustache area would just bleed out all the time. I cannot remember how long it took before this wasn’t a thing anymore but it went away after sometime. More than likely because my technique got better.
The other day I was using a Feather and really took my time and used zero pressure. Still got maybe 2-3 very small weepers, but that was it, and still got a DFS. Even better though, little to no sting over the rest of my face. Of course today I was more pressed for time and reverted to the mean, but at least I know it's possible now!

I’m now between getting an alum block or a styptic pencil 🤔
The alum is amazing for the weepers. It doesn't work for nicks, I have something else for that (Proraso gel ripatore or something like that), but have only had to use that like twice since I got it a month ago.
 
Haha, nobody calls me T-Bone in real life either, so you're welcome to address me as Koko The Monkey too. 🐒😂😂


The other day I was using a Feather and really took my time and used zero pressure. Still got maybe 2-3 very small weepers, but that was it, and still got a DFS. Even better though, little to no sting over the rest of my face. Of course today I was more pressed for time and reverted to the mean, but at least I know it's possible now!


The alum is amazing for the weepers. It doesn't work for nicks, I have something else for that (Proraso gel ripatore or something like that), but have only had to use that like twice since I got it a month ago.
Yeah I’m leaning more towards an alum block since I haven’t really gave myself a large nick in a while, just more like weepers. So that would probably be the route I go.
 
I had an epiphany today as I went about my shave. I’ve been struggling with my cheapo badger brush as it sucks up all the lather as soon as I can make it.

Today I went with my favorite cream Taylor of Old Bond Street - Sandalwood gave the brush and my hand a wee bit more of a work out and got a bit more lather than usual forming in the bowl.

But that’s not the epiphany, the epiphany came as I took the brush to my face and began to work around my face. Actually more into my face. And then it happened lather began oozing out the side of the brush, soon my brush and my face and brush were covered in a nice rich lather.

I was prepared with my Edwin Jagger DE.89 razor and a fresh Astra green blade.

I almost stopped after the first pass, boy a nice smooth shave no nicks or weepers. But I had all this and let it go to waste, so I proceeded with it 2nd pass. Perfect best shave yet not even a little weeper!!! Finished up with a splash 💦 of cold water a run of alum block another rinse of cold water. Followed by my favorite after Duke Cannon Ice Cold, what a life.
 
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