Styptic Pencil

[John]

The gentleman that I am went into town today looking for this Styptic Pencil,
This is to do with the Alum....How do you use yours post.

savers did not have it in stock, so i looked in boots......

Martin: yes as you can see Alum (Aluminium Sulphate) and with purified talc, is the active ingredient.

Lose the beard : yes I think you are correct, I don't know the strength of the alum bars that we are using, but it very well be the case that these styptic Pencil's are more concentrated, as you can see 98.66% looks a bit nasty to me.

That could explain a few things. If any body has info on the alum blocks strength.....ie the % it would be very much appreciated.

kind regards John.

 

[GOLDCREST]

Styptic pencils Sting like Buggery, I can tell you that much.....It feels more like a chemical cauterization, Which it most probably is..

To be honest, if I do nick myself, I've gone back to the old way... A small piece of tissue stuck on my face to soak up the blood 'til it stops flowing...

 

[Jack Force]

Quick dab after wetting the end, If I recall correctly. Stings like anything but not unbearable. I dont use them anymore since a gent on here, Blyth Spirit, kindly pointed out to me that talc did the job aswell. So I have used a dab of talc since then when required.

 

[John]

LOL see I'm not making it up! They do sting don't they, and no I don't intend to use it nether.

When I first started wet shaving you get cut and still do right,well my dad recomended one of these, I'd rather stick pins in my own eye's than use one of these.

 

[chrisbell]

I use styptic on the odd occasion when I get a cut or weeper - the discomfort is short-lived, though, I find.

 

[MarkDifferential]

I've just used one and it's not that bad!

Yes, it does sting but it's all part of the experience, I think. :blush:

 

[balidey]

I had one for when I first started. Its a just bearable sting.
Then I got an alum block and that is way down on the sting scale but last far longer than the pencil.
Although I do very occasionally use the little bit of toilet paper trick, but I have to remind myself to remove it before I get into the office at work.

 

[Tackleberry]

I use one now and then, little sting but hey we are real men here! It doesn't work on anything more than a tiny cut I find and as I shave at night any nicks are gone by morning anyway.

 

[Big.Dave]

I use alum blocks and if it's bad styptic pencil. I don't worry about the alum content just as long as it stops the bleeding.

 

[hunnymonster]

Lose the beard : yes I think you are correct, I don't know the strength of the alum bars that we are using, but it very well be the case that these styptic Pencil's are more concentrated, as you can see 98.66% looks a bit nasty to me.

The 98.66% is a reference to how much of it is aluminium sulphate... just like that bottle of water on your desk is 99.99% water (the rest is dissolved minerals and unless they include lead, arsenic, tin & cyanide you'll come to little harm) - phew that near 100% concentration of water sure sounds scary.

The alum bars are probably in the high-90% alum - but being a double salt (potassium aluminium sulphate) it's effectively "diluted" (perhaps adulterated is a better term) aluminium sulphate and no talc as per the styptic pencil.

 

[John]

Lose the beard : yes I think you are correct, I don't know the strength of the alum bars that we are using, but it very well be the case that these styptic Pencil's are more concentrated, as you can see 98.66% looks a bit nasty to me.

The 98.66% is a reference to how much of it is aluminium sulphate... just like that bottle of water on your desk is 99.99% water (the rest is dissolved minerals and unless they include lead, arsenic, tin & cyanide you'll come to little harm) - phew that near 100% concentration of water sure sounds scary.

The alum bars are probably in the high-90% alum - but being a double salt (potassium aluminium sulphate) it's effectively "diluted" (perhaps adulterated is a better term) aluminium sulphate and no talc as per the styptic pencil.

LOL Thanks for that, that has clarified things a bit. But now I'm stuck with this styptic pencil.... I could give it away to any one who needs a replacement.... It's free.

 

[Doctor_Paul]

No mentions of the Prosaso cut gel stuff? I got some a while back as a precaution for when I started straight shaving and had to use it for the first time the other day. Seemed to work well, making my hierarchy for cuts/ nicks

Alum
Styptic
Gel

depending on how much blood is coming out.

 

[NotTheStig]

I had some but it felt like thick glue and after a month or two (perhaps it was my fault somehow) the whole thing dried up and it ended up in the bin.
Shaving at night is the best option for me, I have to say.

 

[Doctor_Paul]

I had some but it felt like thick glue and after a month or two (perhaps it was my fault somehow) the whole thing dried up and it ended up in the bin.
Shaving at night is the best option for me, I have to say.

I'll keep an eye on the tube and see how long it stays "wet". Shaving at night certainly gives a bit of time for the nicks to heal.