Styptic Pencil

[old school]

I just started shaving with a straight razor and, as expected, I've cut myself a few times. (I am getting better though!)

I have a question about the use of a styptic pencil though. I can never seem to get it to work. All that ends up happening is the pencil gets all bloody, I keep bleeding, and I end up with a white residue all over my face. Am I doing something wrong? Can somebody tell me?

 

[Slartibartfast]

How big are these cuts?

The few times i have used it, i just wet the pencil and rub on the area. then it usually stop and after it dries. i rinse off the residue.

 

[Oglethorpe]

How big are these cuts?

The few times i have used it, i just wet the pencil and rub on the area. then it usually stop and after it dries. i rinse off the residue.

Slart speaks the truth. Depending on your nick it's not going to stop the bleeding instantly. The stick has a clotting agent in it. Let it try on the nick and then you can wash off the white stuff and you'll be done bleeding.

 

[Pumpkin]

Nicks should stop after a cold splash.

Cuts (depending on size) might need a repeat application of Styptic.

If you're following up with Witch Hazel that should be enough.

BTW...Welcome to B&B!

 

[kg4ghn]

The couple of cuts I give myself during my first few straight shaves, my styptic pencil wouldn't do anything with either. I just kept shaving then after the cold water splash at the end I just put a little pressure on it for a few seconds and that stopped it. No scars or anything, they were pretty small.

Luckily my technique has gotten better and I haven't cut myself in a few weeks(probably just jinxed myself... ), just the occasional weeper.

 

[ALL HANDS WORKING]

Are you taking any blood thinning agents, such as aspirin, Plavix, Coumadin, or even Fish Oil. All of these things will increase bleeding times and may cause styptic to be less effective, but it should still work. Sometimes I will have to apply it twice to stop a cut from bleeding. I don't use the pointy end of the pencil, I wet it and then sort of roll it into the cut. Was never an issue for me with DE's, but now that I use a Feather AC, I am using more styptic than Clubman can produce.

 

[Rancor16]

From what I understand about styptic pencils, you keep the pencil on the wound until the blood and the salt compound from the pencil have mixed to form a crusty like substance over the cut... Sometimes I have to keep the pencil on there for a good while for this to work. I've also noticed that my smaller cuts don't seem to work with the pencil very well at all.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Check with your local barber shop. Most of them have very small bottles of liquid styptic. I've found that to work much better than the pencil. The bottle should cost a couple of three bucks, but will last a very long time. Just put a drop on you finger and apply to the nick/cut. It will usually stop the bleeding right away.

 

[professorchaos]

The one bad scar I have from a straight is from the one cut I used a styptic pencil to close. It appears that the styptic didn't allow the wound's edges to heal together.