Quality on Alum blocks

Hi, I am a bit of a newbie, so bear with me here

I bought an Alum block from Shaving.ie, and it is full of dirt, is all grainy (like sandpaper), and has some yellow spots and the color varies.

Pic:


Is this normal? I cant find any pics of alum which is like the one i bought

Could yours be synthetic alum?

Potassium Alum - Crystal Alum Mineral

Synthetic Alum Stone

I also bought a cheap alum stone from a reputable vendor and when put beside a good quality crystal, the synthetic one looks yellow and dirty. I just could not use it on my face.

I have been using a Gentle Jon alum block. It's very clean and hard and seems to be holding up quite well. It also comes in a nice plastic box for storage. I never put it away wet, read that you should let it thoroughly dry out before storage. Fairly inexpensive at $5.99 for a 3.5 oz. block. I can see it lasting for years. Here's a link to their website: http://www.gentjon.com

I have been using a Gentleman Jon alum block. It's very clean and hard and seems to be holding up quite well. It also comes in a nice plastic box for storage. I never put it away wet, read that you should let it thoroughly dry out before storage. Fairly inexpensive at $5.99 for a 3.5 oz. block. I can see it lasting for years. Here's a link to their website: http://www.gentjon.com

It says its natural stone, so its wierd.

Anyone else has had stones like this from shaving.ie?

I cant really buy from the US as it would end up costing me at least 20usd in shipping and another 50usd in taxes, so...

No one else has experience with the quality of these blocks?

its alum.the spots shouldnt interfere with the performance.its just part of the process,kinda like glue dots on razor blades

Well the dirt and the sandpaper like consistency does not seems very nice

I think it can happen with any Alum block. I purchased a Gent Jon one and was disappointed at the texture. It was like you mentioned like sandpaper.

Techtrino said:

No one else has experience with the quality of these blocks?

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Can you post a close up picture of your stone?

The alum crystal should be translucent and have no visible impurities. Anything else is not fit for my face, in my opinion.
No, dirt and "spots" are not acceptable "part of the process".

Techtrino said:

Well the dirt and the sandpaper like consistency does not seems very nice

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wet the block and rub it like a bar of soap untill smooth,is alum,not being snarky here,but its a block of alum.the more you use it the smoother it gets.look up the way they make the blocks and you will understand more about it.its a slurry they pour into a mold and let dry out.good luck with it,as you get better at this thing you will use alum less.my first year i thought id use more alum than soap,but now my alum block has lasted about two years.

Try to get your hands on a Razorock alum block. Good quality and comes in a case.

Techtrino said:

No one else has experience with the quality of these blocks?

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I have a Shavex block that sounds like yours -- looks to have "dirt" speckles in it, at least. The sandpaper-like surface actually happens on the bottom of the block when I put it in a plastic tub and there's still a little moisture. It came smooth, but now only one side is. It will smooth out if I just use the rough side, but I figure why bother.

I have always used Osma alum blocks and they have always been smooth with no yellow spots.

I bought a block that was fine except one end, which was rough, had a big bubble, and was yellow on that end. I used it and it was just fine, but one night decided to try an experiment. I put a little water into the case, and set the block into the case so the yellow end sat in the water. The next morning the yellow was gone. I only have one of these so can't repeat the experiment, but the yellow is gone. Maybe someone else can give this a try?

The Gentleman Jon block sucks. It's not even a block. It's as if they took alum crystals and molded it into a rectangle. The Osma block is a solid piece...and smooth. Not like sandpaper at all.

I use this, and it is good enough for me:

It seems I am getting a refund from Shaving.ie so that is nice, next time it will be a Osma block, so lets see how that goes

craniac24 said:

The Gentleman Jon block sucks. It's not even a block. It's as if they took alum crystals and molded it into a rectangle. The Osma block is a solid piece...and smooth. Not like sandpaper at all.

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I wouldn't say that it sucks. I actually have one that I picked up for my Dopp kit when I travel and have used it several times to great effect. No problems, no splintering or anything else to report. I'll likely make Gentleman Jon my constant brand for travel based off of use and expectations.

I used to use Osma as they were selling two of them on Amazon for a great price last October, and when that block just recently broke on me when I was wiping it off (after 11 months of constant use), I decided to try a different company and see how it works out. I figure that the more I know, the better I'll know which shaving products I prefer over others. I placed an order on Amazon for one made by Shavex that is 125g. I compared it to the reviews and size of one offered by RazoRock and felt that the Shavex was a better deal.

If Osma came in bigger blocks, I would gladly order one again. Does anyone know if they come larger than the small size offered by Amazon?

Jarhead85 said:

Try to get your hands on a Razorock alum block. Good quality and comes in a case.View attachment 498597View attachment 498598

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+1 on the Razorock, longlasting too.