Quick Alum Question (NOT a use question).

[ralph029]

Is the alum available in the spice aisle the same as the alum that is presses (?) into blocks that we use as a post shave? I wasn't really sure where to post this.
I am trying to learn how much alum is dissolvable in various solutions and using a block is a bit difficult. Not to mention that the alum in the pickling aisle is significantly cheaper.
I know we have some chemists in our ranks.

 

[DrStrange]

Alum is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol.

100 g of water dissolves :

5.7 g of alum at 0°C,
8.5 g at 10°C,
12.03 g at 20°C,
25 g at 40°C,
36.78 g at 50°C,
58.5 g at 60°C,
94.38 g at 70°C
and 195 g at 80°C.

alum solubility in water - Google Search

 

[NorthernSoul]

If it is potassium alum (aka potassium aluminum sulfate), yes it is chemically the same. Using a block is much easier if you dip it in some water first. It should then slide on the skin really easily (like an ice cube) and leave a very thin film. You can dampen you hands and rub the alum film a bit to spread it around.. Finally, rinse everything off after half a minute or so.

 

[timetofly]

Alum is used for pickling and other food uses. So, it is the same stuff. If you don't have an alum block , and you are in a pickle, you can use it!

 

[ralph029]

Alum is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol.

100 g of water dissolves :

5.7 g of alum at 0°C,
8.5 g at 10°C,
12.03 g at 20°C,
25 g at 40°C,
36.78 g at 50°C,
58.5 g at 60°C,
94.38 g at 70°C
and 195 g at 80°C.

alum solubility in water - Google Search

Thank you sir. This was one part of the question I had.

 

[ralph029]

If it is potassium alum (aka potassium aluminum sulfate), yes it is chemically the same. Using a block is much easier if you dip it in some water first. It should then slide on the skin really easily (like an ice cube) and leave a very thin film. You can dampen you hands and rub the alum film a bit to spread it around.. Finally, rinse everything off after half a minute or so.

Thank you. "Chemically the same" was the other part of the question I had. I'm not trying to use it as a post shave in my case. Thanks again.

 

[FarmerTan]

THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE! But powdered alum werks wonders on canker sores. Just moisten a tip of a finger and apply to the sore and get ready to scream. But it can help dull the pain for a bit. (Probably because it feels so good after it stops hurting?)

I would imagine that you could do all of the above to a nasty razor injury? I'm on Coumadin, so I am extremely safety conscious with the accidental blood letting....

 

[timetofly]

THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE! But powdered alum werks wonders on canker sores. Just moisten a tip of a finger and apply to the sore and get ready to scream. But it can help dull the pain for a bit. (Probably because it feels so good after it stops hurting?)

I would imagine that you could do all of the above to a nasty razor injury? I'm on Coumadin, so I am extremely safety conscious with the accidental blood letting....

I remember the days of canker sores. My remedy...hydrogen peroxide on a Q Tip and I would ream that son of a gun right into the canker sore.

 

[Old Hippie]

THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE! But powdered alum werks wonders on canker sores. Just moisten a tip of a finger and apply to the sore and get ready to scream.

Lordy. My mother was a big one for that. Scream, aye. Never did me any good, though.

What I learned from this was to never, ever tell Mom if I had a canker sore.

I can still taste that $%^&.

O.H.

 

[FarmerTan]

Lordy. My mother was a big one for that. Scream, aye. Never did me any good, though.

What I learned from this was to never, ever tell Mom if I had a canker sore.

I can still taste that $%^&.

O.H.

Same here my friend. Our mothers secretly hated us...

 

[timetofly]

Same here my friend. Our mothers secretly hated us...

What our parents did to us then, parents of today would be in jail. Funny thing is, we are all fine with no ill effects. IMO that type of parenting needs to return.

Didn't mean to derail the thread.

Back to the alum!

 

[FarmerTan]

What our parents did to us then, parents of today would be in jail. Funny thing is, we are all fine with no ill effects. IMO that type of parenting needs to return.

Didn't mean to derail the thread.

Back to the alum!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I might be the only person with a license to derail my friend, and that's only because of Americans with Disabilities Act...

 

[lancre]

Same here my friend. Our mothers secretly hated us...

You may not remember your birth, but she does, and she's never forgiven you....

 

[Robertsr]

Another low price alternative for alum is the "crystal" deodorant often found in health food stores or IIRC, the old "Harriet Carter" catalog my mom still gets in the mail.

I've been using a stick for years and I'll probably die before I need a replacement. I think it cost me 5 bucks for a stick that's approximately twice the volume of my Personna block. I used it as an object lesson for my kids about supply and demand. Far more health food freaks than wet shavers in the world, so more of the exact same product costs less.