A
styptic pencil is generally made of powdered
alum and a
waxy
binder which is pressed into a
pencil shape. It is generally used to seal small
cuts and
nicks, especially from razors. Before the days of the
safety razor the styptic pencil was a necessary part of a man's
shaving kit.
If you are prone to cutting yourself while shaving, or like me frequently fall victim to stinging nettles, thorns, and briars, I highly recommend purchasing a styptic pencil. When applied to a cut it does burn slightly, but most cuts stop bleeding in minutes and heal by the end of the day.