What's new

Alum Block Question

Hello.. I am wondering about alum block.
I know a lot of shavers here use it and say that it works well.

What is it like and what is the purpose for it? Does it make the
end of the shave much better? Does it sting at all?

Is it good for the skin? Please give me info on this. Thanks!

John H.
 
Last edited:
Hi I just got mine the other day, the purpose of it as far as I know is to seal any nicks and lesson irritation ,
To me it let's you know how your shave went if you were to aggressive in some areas it will sting more it only stings for a moments,
Than it leaves your face feeling tight and smooth and will help razor burn,
Hope this helps from one beginner to another
 
Hi I just got mine the other day, the purpose of it as far as I know is to seal any nicks and lesson irritation ,
To me it let's you know how your shave went if you were to aggressive in some areas it will sting more it only stings for a moments,
Than it leaves your face feeling tight and smooth and will help razor burn,
Hope this helps from one beginner to another

That's a really good explanation. If you're shaving very lightly, you won't notice very much from the alum block; if you're using some pressure, the block will let you know with some stinging. It's a great way to learn your shaving habits, and reduce razor burn.
 
I'm an old(er) coot now; when I re-started DE shaving after a break of 20+ years, The Dark Years, - Mach-3s, little blue Bics - I noticed right away that my skin was irritated after my shaves.

I worked really hard on giving my mug really good prep, and I read up on skin care. I got an Osma alum block, and I use it right after every shave. Cold rinse, rub with wet alum block, brush my teeth, cold rinse.

There is a bit of sting, just exactly where I have shaved myself into a little irritation. Very slight, nothing bad. The sting is certainly less that I have gotten from some after-shaves.

Then I slap on an aftershave and an after-shave balm, most often Geo. F. Trumper Coral Skin Food. Seems like a lot of fol-de-rol? Nah, my skin looks and feels great.

Go for Osma; a solid block of the mineral, not a pressed-together composite. It is very brittle; mine came broken in half from Amazon. Try a shaving specialist like WCS, since Amazon didn't package it at all well. I am using the broken halves happily. They will last me for more than 2 years of daily shaves.
 
alum has many good properties,and uses.i dont leave it on my face after shaving because it seems to dry my skin,but it works well to stop weepers and small nicks,i also recommend osma,ive had a block for 2+years and its still going strong.
 
As you can see from the above the block has many uses. It has antiseptic qualities so its good for nicks, small cuts, and the like. Its great for use after you rinse your face. Just be sure to wash it off before you use and AS or balm. Its excellent for your skin.
 
Does it bother anyone that rubbing aluminium sulphate all over your face (not to mention open cuts) every day might result in higher levels of aluminium in the bloodstream, which is believed to increase one's chances of suffering from Alzheimer's in later life? Or am I just a crazy man?
 
Thanx for the feedback guys. I believe I will get some of the Osma product.

Even if I don't use it all the time it couldn't hurt to try it out!
 
It's an astringent with mild antiseptic and antibacterial properties. I've never tried it, but it's next on my list of things to try for helping to control my acne and folliculitis. As far as the danger issue, from what I've read the studies have been inconclusive at worst, particularly in the minute amounts found in alum.
 
Does it bother anyone that rubbing aluminium sulphate all over your face (not to mention open cuts) every day might result in higher levels of aluminium in the bloodstream, which is believed to increase one's chances of suffering from Alzheimer's in later life? Or am I just a crazy man?
I wish we knew these things but we do know that correlation doesn't mean causation. So much more research is needed!

Plus, I've made it to (groan) 68, and I don't expect to live forever.
 
Last edited:
I bought an alum block about a month ago and have been using it after every shave with a cold water splash and then applying my aftershave. It gives you good feedback after the shave. By that I mean that it stings where you have areas of irritation. It has nice astringent and antiseptic properties and soothes my face after a shave.
 
I love it. Use it every shave.
- feedback
- stops small weepers (use styptic or TP for more egregious shaving errors)
- antiseptic
- astringent
- leaves my skin feeling tight and great

What's not to love? I do wash it off after a few minutes or it starts to feel a little uncomfortable (tingly/burning). This is all part of my clean up routine.
- wash off any leftover lather with warm water
- splash face with cold water and run the alum block over it
- clean up brush and bowl
- wash off the alum (face dry by now)
- dry my face, apply witch hazel
- clean up razor(s)
- apply AS splash and/or balm
- walk out of the bathroom feeling like a man's man. Oh wait! Get dressed first! Dang, I hate it when I forget that step...
 
+1 for this.

Hi I just got mine the other day, the purpose of it as far as I know is to seal any nicks and lesson irritation ,
To me it let's you know how your shave went if you were to aggressive in some areas it will sting more it only stings for a moments,
Than it leaves your face feeling tight and smooth and will help razor burn,
Hope this helps from one beginner to another
 
If you have slippery hands you can also give it a quick rub and it seems to make things more grippy. Just rub your fingers together after using it to see what I mean.
 
If you have slippery hands you can also give it a quick rub and it seems to make things more grippy. Just rub your fingers together after using it to see what I mean.
Yes, I rub my wet alum block between my fingers just as I start my lather-building. The soapy brush handle sticks so much better in my hand, and I have a more secure grip on my razor.
 
Top Bottom