I don't cut myself often but when I do I usually bleed pretty good (or bad I guess) because I take aspirin daily. I purchased a styptic pencil but it is rock hard and even soaking the tip in water doesn't do anything. I even took a single edge razor blade and tried to scrape some off into a powder and it was so hard that I couldn't. When I touch the thing to my cut the only thing it does for me is burn like hell. Are all styptic pencils created equally or do some work better than others?
mine was a $.97 one from wally world. It too stings when applied to a cut. I have only used this thing once, when my blade was too dull to shave. do you ordinarily cut yourself? what is your shaving technique? your technique may provide insight as to the origins of your cuts.
Huh? This is how styptic pencils are supposed to work. It's supposed to be a pencil, not a powder. Wet it and touch it to the cut. Scream. Again if needed. Rinse when bleeding has stopped. Enjoy!
it is supposed to be rock hard and it stings because it is compressed salt. It stops the bleeding unless it is a deep gash that may require a plastic surgeon. Raf
I know there are also Styptic Powders available as well liquids which are sort of like a roll on. It sounds though that your pencil is just fine and the advice above is all you really need to know.
If I need one, I use "My Nik is Sealed", a roll on. Not near as much sting as the "pencil". Info here.
The pencil is porous. I close the drain and put a little water in the bottom of the sink. Then I dip the pencil in the water. If you hold it point down and touch it to your finger, you'll get a drop of milky water. That the alum salt dissolved in the water. Touching the tip to the nick should leave a drop and stop the bleeding. For weepers is quick and easy. For deeper nicks I find I sometimes have to rub it into the cut a bit. After the initial sting, it dies down a bit. And yes, it stings like a <bad word>. The stymptic cause the tissue to contract or pucker, including the open capillaries in the cut. Hence the bleeding stops. In order to stop all the bleeding, it has to contact all the open capillaries. Of course it really pings the pain nerve endings too, which is why it hurts. Also with deeper cuts it easier to reopen the capillaries if you rub the cut too hard. The smaller the nick, the better it works. A couple of times, I had to reapply after putting on AS blam. True story: our 4 and 6 year olds sometimes call each other names, either as part of a game or because they're angry. Of course, we admonish them. "That's a bad word. Please call your sisiter that." And so on. Yesterday I heard my daughter say to her brother "You're a bad word little boy!" Fortunately I was in an other room so I didn't have to surpress my laugh too much.
Thanks for all the tips. Now I know why my dog hates the styptic powder so much. It stings like hell. He never yelps when I accidentally make his nails bleed. He waits till I put the styptic powder on it. I think I'll try the roll on stuff. The bad word thing made me crack up too. When my daughter was younger she would get mad and say "BAD WORD! BAD WORD! BAD WORD!
+1 on "My Nik is Sealed." I take an anticoagulant so a nick tended to go on and on. I will say that since I switched to the Hydrolast products used in Method Shaving I've only had a couple of tiny nicks in 4-5 months.
I meant too say, I wipe the water off my pencil with a tissue after using it, otherwise the water continues to dissolve it and starts to look like eroded limestone. Another: We had a playground assembled for the kids over the weekend. They've been crazy about playing on it. Last night I got home a bit late and they had finished dinner. It was getting close to bedtime, so I told my daughter, " Now Maya, as soon as I'm finished dinner we are going right upstairs to get ready for bed." She cheerfully said, "OK, Daddy." and ran outside. I hear her shout to her brother, "Hey Liam! We can play for an EXTREMELY long time! (pause) Because Daddy's a very slow eater!"
Bleeding pets.... Cant speak for dogs nails but with the cats we just use bar soap if they get trimmed a little short and bleed. Doesnt hurt them at all and they don't usually do too much licking at it.
Got some of this in a giveaway and it is fabulous. Works immediately and has very little to no sting at all. http://www.pacificshaving.com/nickstick.php
Nick stick works well, eh Rick? I've been meaning to try MY NIK IS SEALED... Styptic pencils are not to my liking. They do the job but with that damn white coating that lasts a goodly long time.. Two more things to try... Tho I was mighty pleased with todays shave. Straight..Only followed up with the Alum block, which is an everyshave use, blood was minimal. Hahahaha
Pinaud also has a roll on type called Nick Relief or something like that...very similar to My Nik is Sealed.
Sorry, I don't call people names. Sets a bad example for the kids I find the initial sting is bad, but it doesn't last. Applying more doesn't sting after that first touch. I suspect the pores close up and the styptic doesn't reach the nerve endings.
