Which Alum block to get?

**Empty Words** · 02-12-2007, 08:14 PM

I'm interested in getting an Alum block. I was thinking of either ordering the one from www.shavex.com. It's 400 grams for about $21 (the original price is in Indian Rupees so I'm guessing that they are shipped from there). I wanted to order it off of bear-haven but it's out of stock. Another one that I was looking at was this one at www.classicshaving.com It goes for $9.99 but only 125 grams. If I order the one from classicshaving, I'll also get some styptic pencils, a shave stick, some Feather blades and some Truefitt & Hill stuff so it won't be for just the Alum. But if do get the one from shavex, I'll still probably get the other stuff from classicshaving. I am leaning more toward the one from classicshaving because it's shipped from the US while the shavex is from India (I am a little worried about it getting here). So what should I go with?

**castlecraver** · 02-12-2007, 08:30 PM

I'd say go for the cheaper one. I've not heard anything bad about Shavex, but honestly, alum is alum. And you'll probably appreciate a smaller block (although larger ones can certainly be broken/cut into smaller pieces) anyway. The stuff practically lasts forever too.

**Scotty** · 02-12-2007, 09:37 PM

Mama Bear is supposed to get a new shipment of alum. blocks from Shavex this week. She sells the bigger size block; 3 1/8" long, 1 3/4" wide, & around 3/4" thick. It also comes with a plastic case & sell for $10.00
Shavex is a reputable company to deal with also! Scotty

**susseddm** · 02-12-2007, 09:52 PM

Here's the cheapest price around for alum: http://www.tulumba.com/

70 grams for $0.99

It's a Turkish based website, but they ship from somewhere in New York state.

**Mr.Benn** · 02-12-2007, 10:23 PM

Just to clarify, the alum available from Shavex.com is not a single 400g block -- it's a pack of smaller blocks (I believe it's four 100g alum blocks).

Shavex is a reputable dealer (the owner is a member of B&B) and in my experience the shipping was suprisingly quick, despite coming from India.

**Empty Words** · 02-12-2007, 10:33 PM

Well I checked Mama Bear's site earlier today and the Shavex alum block was unavailable, but I just checked and it is now in stock so I guess I'll order it from there along with a bunch of shaving soaps

**galpman** · 02-13-2007, 04:33 AM

Mama Bear all the way. I bought mine from Nordies at $18. It's OK but from what I hear Mama Bear's has much better pricing and great delivery.

**180gVinyl** · 02-13-2007, 05:12 AM

I have a De Vergulde Hand 75g block from Barbershop Classics in Holland.

It cost 2.75 euros

The customer service is faultless

http://www.winkelplein.nu/barbershop...k4wF7nS7pnWIuu

**BroJohn** · 02-13-2007, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by susseddm

Here's the cheapest price around for alum: http://www.tulumba.com/

70 grams for $0.99

It's a Turkish based website, but they ship from somewhere in New York state.

Tulumba has a great e-commerce website and do an excellent turnaround with reasonable shipping. I bought one of their Alum blocks last summer. They are 80g and are 2in by 1.5in by 1in. In seven months of use, I used up about a quarter of an inch on each dimension, so I put that now a-little-bit-smaller block in my travel kit and decided to reorder.

I intended to order a couple of the blocks, but the price had decreased to 99¢ from $2.79. Then I rationalized that for the old price of two, I could buy five. Then I realized that if I ordered 10, they knock off an additional 15% so they're 85¢ each. Ten blocks, $8.50 for 800g of Potassium Alum. Alum AD anyone?

Then to spread out the shipping, I ordered 4 tubes of Arko cream (...yeah, like I need any more cream...

) and got the whole mess delivered in two days for under $24.

Anyway, this is the best deal going on Alum. My only regret is that I didn't add in a couple of the Arko shave sticks at 99¢, but I guess I'll survive.

but hey, you gotta draw the line somewhere, right??

-- John Gehman
PS I expect Marty will come along here directly with some pithy comments...

**SmoovD** · 02-13-2007, 07:50 PM

Mama Bear now has alum blocks in stock.

And I have a few square inches of space left in my bathroom so I took the opportunity to pick up a few soaps as well.

**Padron** · 02-13-2007, 08:39 PM

Check your local vitamin stores. I bought a couple at Whole Foods, they were 90 gram / 3 oz. cubes for $2 each, they work great and seem to last forever.

**TheNovice** · 02-13-2007, 08:57 PM

Ditto on Tulumba...I honestly can't imagine why anyone would spend so much on alum...I purchased 5 bars and the one I am using daily doesn't even look like it has been used...I'm about to give 2 of my bars to a friend and I still suspect the three bars I will have remaining to last me for years to come. 5 bars for $4.50 (total of 400 grams compared to $21 from shavex?). Shipped promptly and arrived just a few days later.

Matt

**Juaquin** · 02-13-2007, 11:10 PM

I still haven't gotten mine from Tulumba, but for the price, I'm not going to complain.

**Patrick D** · 02-14-2007, 03:23 AM

I got mine from Mama Bear along with that nice little wooden drying rack,,,works great for me.

**MJB** · 02-14-2007, 03:38 AM

AOS has one if you like to pay the most money and feel like therefore you have something better

Honestly, I can't believe that alum is anything other than alum. The blocks last a long, long time and smaller may be neater and less unwieldly. I would recommend the smallest and least expensive.

**DustBow** · 02-14-2007, 07:05 AM

QED sells an alum stick that is real handy for home use and travel.
It's shaped like a round hard deoderant stick and rounded on the end for easy application. It has a screw on cap for easy clean up so you can just toss it back into your drawer/bag.
I don't think it's listed on his website but he does sell them.

**htownmmm** · 02-14-2007, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick D

I got mine from Mama Bear along with that nice little wooden drying rack,,,works great for me.

I too did the same thing and absolutely love it! In fact, if you have larger hands, the alum block from MamaBear is great-in many of my SOTD posts, I refer to it as the alum brick. My initial alum block was from classic shaving, but I broke it by mistake(somehow, it did not want to survive a 5 foot drop onto a tiled bathroom floor-go figure

).

Huge alum brick + wooden drying rack = love my face.

Marty

**johnniegold** · 02-14-2007, 08:21 AM

I bought my first alum block from Trumper when I lived in my previous house. I moved 3 1/2 years ago and I'm still using the same block! I think I'm getting my money's worth.

**qhsdoitall** · 02-14-2007, 09:07 AM

Shavex claims theirs leaves no residue and others do. I find that hard to believe. I bought a few of the Tulumba. Should last me a very long time even if I start to use it as an underarm deodorant. I just need to find a little plastic case to fit the block for travel.

**TheNovice** · 02-14-2007, 11:53 AM

yep...I use the tulumba alum daily and never have any residue problems.

I also got the wooden rack from mama bear, but they didn't have alum in stock (at the time). I'm actually glad now that they were since it made me look a little harder to find it and eventually led me to tulumba. I lived in Turkey for a few years growing up and had no idea there was a site (tulumba) for all things turkish...kinda nice to have if you're interested in those sorts of things.