newest personal find in the art of ripping shavers off.

[Doppelgaenger]

I went to buy a styptic pencil today at rite-aid, they didn't have any. But for $4.99 you could buy a 12 pack of styptic swabs that are single use.

I found a regular styptic that will last me for a year or probably a lot more for the same price at CVS. Just another example of this disposable society we live in now. Reject it I say!!

 

[Pasha]

Walmart has the best deal on those. It's like $1.50 or so but doesn't come with a holder.

 

[Wildalaska]

Protest! Use toilet paper!

 

[Topgumby]

Walmart has the best deal on those. It's like $1.50 or so but doesn't come with a holder.

I've discovered that the little plastic container for thread forming taps, about 1/4"-20 or so in size, make dandy styptic pencil holders.

 

[Doctor]

the problem with styptic pencils that i found is that if you get warm water on it, it will melt away and becomes gummy....the trick is to just get the tip of it wet with ONLY cold water...

 

[StuMcB]

Store the pencil upside down that way if it is wet the moisture should stay near the tip. My current one is about two years old.

 

[Vivasanti]

wow what an outrage!

definately worth posting a thread.

thanks

 

[heybatter]

disposable styptic matches are good if you have sanitary concerns(i.e. multiple shavers in house or barber, etc...).

 

[maxman]

I haven't heard anyone talk about those for a long time.
I do nick myself occasionally, but I just don't think to use one.

Handy thing to have around though.

The funny thing about our disposable product society is that you can make 99% of the stuff you buy into single serving products if you try.
You can get re-usable containers of all sizes nowadays.

 

[PugslyCat]

I never quite saw the value of single use styptic matches as opposed to styptic pencils. Maybe if I had a few other people shaving in the house I'd bite on the single use products, but with just me around it's not like the sharing of something I already bled on is a possibility.

 

[Doppelgaenger]

I agree that it's nice not to be sharing blood with other people, but for when you need a styptic you might as well buy every shaver in the house a whole one that will last years instead of pay the same for something that will last a few months at the very most.

Isn't the alum block exactly the same thing as a styptic just not in pencil form?

 

[TheDrood]

I agree that it's nice not to be sharing blood with other people, but for when you need a styptic you might as well buy every shaver in the house a whole one that will last years instead of pay the same for something that will last a few months at the very most.

Isn't the alum block exactly the same thing as a styptic just not in pencil form?

WHAT??? Buy something that will last??? Craziness. I can't speak to whether the styptic is the same as an alum block, I do have both though. I wouldn't use the styptic over my face like I do my alum, and I have seen better results closing the occasional nic with the styptic than the alum. My alum has so far lasted me over a year and shows no sign of wearing out soon. YMMV

 

[BigBull]

Single serving styptic swabs?!?! Tyler Durdin would sell the crap outta those.

 

[Joe_Karp]

Single use is for the birds. I use an Art of Shaving Styptic block that seems to be lasting forever. And yes, running it under cold water works best.

 

[whavens]

I use styptic powder. I dip a q tip in water and dip it in the powder. Works like a charm.

 

[windycityshaver]

Alum bar.

 

[dpm802]

Handy thing to have around though.

+1 ... the Styptic Pencil is often overlooked when putting together a Starter Kit, but it should be in everyone's shave-den.

The last time I used mine for shaving was around 3 years ago, but it has come in handy for cuts on my hands. When you need it, there's little else that will make a good substitute.

 

[JeffOlson]

I use a Feather AS-D1, apparently the mildest DE razor in the history of mankind. I have yet to use a styptic pencil.

However, I agree with the OP: those single-use swabs are not for me. I bought a Col. Conk (?) pencil just in case I get a more agressive razor.

 

[GreekGuy]

Isn't the alum block exactly the same thing as a styptic just not in pencil form?

They are different. I have and use both as necessary

 

[cb91710]

I went to buy a styptic pencil today at rite-aid, they didn't have any. But for $4.99 you could buy a 12 pack of styptic swabs that are single use.

I found a regular styptic that will last me for a year or probably a lot more for the same price at CVS. Just another example of this disposable society we live in now. Reject it I say!!

Nothing new.

There's a reason that particular chain has had serious problems for the last 20 years (pretty much ever since they took over Thrifty).
They're good at ripping off everyone. When I smoked Camels, they were a buck a pack or more higher than CVS or WG.
Same for most products.