Case of Arko Sticks - I love the smell!

**withoutink** · 10-24-2009, 05:57 PM

I know many people say they love Arko sticks, but hate the smell. Well, last week I purchased a case (12 sticks) from Amazon. I received the case yesterday. I was not certain as to what to expect. Maybe the fears running through my mind, imagined the worst. When I opened the box I was pleasently surprised.

I actually really like the smell. Its not a smell I would suspect to be used for a shave soap. But its nice and clean. I let a few people at work take a whiff and they all seemed to think it was a nice clean scent. A few people mentioned it smelled like a very pleasant dryer sheet. I kind of agree.

Anyway, just my two cents. Now I should have enough Arko to last me for a rather long time.

As a side note. I shaved with it for the first time this morning. Aside from maybe using a little too much, it worked really really well. The lather exploded very quickly and it was a cinch to relather. Two Thumbs up!

**Jcof3474** · 10-24-2009, 06:05 PM

Wow, a whole box...I bet your whole neighborhood smelled that box of Arko.

I just used Arko for the first time this morning. I have had the stick for a couple of months, but have put it off because of the scent. I do have to say that it gave a great shave, and once lathered the smell wasn't over powering. I will definately start using it regularly.

Enjoy your box of Arko!

J.

**Leche** · 10-24-2009, 06:08 PM

Nice Matt, Arko is one awesome gem in the shaving world. I too thoroughly enjoy the scent.

**tgarza** · 10-24-2009, 07:21 PM

I like the scent too.

**fidjit** · 10-24-2009, 09:04 PM

Oh my god !!!

Melt it into one big puck and enter it in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest Toilet Candy in the World.

( But make sure you do it before that initial smell dies and then gets much more pleasant

)

You could then just rub your face directly into the puck to let that lathery goodness explode !!!

**talibeard** · 10-25-2009, 12:45 AM

Congrats with both the box and liking the smell!!

Now there is nothing in the way of reaching the best shave possible this world has to offer!!

Love the smell too and don't really understand why some are put off by it so strongly. YMMV I guess. I totally agree with buying this soap by the box; my way too.

**Cookie_Junkie** · 10-25-2009, 01:49 AM

Wow!! A whole box... Congrats!
But don't let them overlast you...

Love tallow, huh? Now would you please care enough to check THIS.

C_J

**mdunn** · 10-25-2009, 03:14 AM

Awesome. And I thought my three sticks was a bit much!

**melyus** · 10-25-2009, 08:10 AM

What a nice news Matt. Congrats these are life time stock for you.
Also nice to hear that you like its scent and shave. Why im talking like this you know that in our country all professional barber using only Arko shave stick melted in a mug ...

Enjoy with them.

**jcalvin** · 10-25-2009, 01:42 PM

Just bought one stick (along with a Wee Scot). Will update you guys with what I think when it arrives (God bless Priority Mail). JM

**featherman** · 10-26-2009, 05:21 AM

Hi, I read some of you writing about melting Arko.
Pleas dont try that. It's a tallow based soap and those cant be melted like the glycerine soaps. To get it into a mug I cut an Arko bar into small pieces, added hot water (not boiling) and stirred until the soap was dissolved. Then I just poured it into the mug and let it cool down.
Be careful how much water you add and use a watertemparature that is just hot enough to dissolve the soap. Then the soap dont get damaged and it will actually get softer that the original bar, which I think is an advantage.
An other method is to just cut the small pieces even smaller with a kitchenmachine and press the crumbles into the mug. There is a thread with pictures how to do that but I am too lazy to look for the link

.

Finally, Arko is the cheapest tallow based shaving soap around and it performs just as well as my Tabac. The only difference is the smell (and I like it).

/Alex

**Leche** · 10-26-2009, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by featherman

To get it into a mug I cut an Arko bar into small pieces, added hot water (not boiling) and stirred until the soap was dissolved. Then I just poured it into the mug and let it cool down.
Be careful how much water you add and use a watertemparature that is just hot enough to dissolve the soap. Then the soap dont get damaged and it will actually get softer that the original bar, which I think is an advantage.
An other method is to just cut the small pieces even smaller with a kitchenmachine and press the crumbles into the mug. There is a thread with pictures how to do that but I am too lazy to look for the link

.

Why do all that when you can just smash it into a container? It's soft enough.

**shm** · 10-26-2009, 10:14 AM

Congrats on the case - that should last you a lifetime. Trying to keep the AD from the door are you?

I was lucky enough to win an Arko stick in a pif held by Melyus (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=110842)

I like the smell too, and didn't even find it too much when I opened it, and it lathers up quite well too - great soap in my opinion.

**Schwert** · 10-26-2009, 10:21 AM

I gave my stick a try this morning....

I had shelved my Arko when I got it as I thought the smell was way too much...but after reading about all the great lather I decided to give it a go.

A very fine shave...smell is a bit too much for me but it is not an offensive lingering scent....so thumbs up from me too.

I find the smell actually much better than TABAC...

**MrFusion** · 10-26-2009, 10:25 AM

Looks like I need to add this to my shopping list. I almost picked this up in a barbershop in Atlanta but they wanted a bit much for a stick so I held off.

**Leche** · 10-26-2009, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by MrFusion

Looks like I need to add this to my shopping list. I almost picked this up in a barbershop in Atlanta but they wanted a bit much for a stick so I held off.

Whats a bit much? Arko is dirt cheap but the shipping (unless you buy a lot) will make it significantly more.

**MrFusion** · 10-27-2009, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Leche

Whats a bit much? Arko is dirt cheap but the shipping (unless you buy a lot) will make it significantly more.

It was a bit over $8 a stick if I remember correctly. I'd rather add one to another order from say Shoebox where it's only $2.39.

**Leche** · 10-27-2009, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by MrFusion

It was a bit over $8 a stick

**texbilly** · 10-27-2009, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by mdunn

Awesome. And I thought my three sticks was a bit much!

Ditto! Love Arko and it's retro wrapper.

**Wil Dorenbos** · 10-27-2009, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by myuserid

I know many people say they love Arko sticks, but hate the smell. Well, last week I purchased a case (12 sticks) from Amazon. I received the case yesterday. I was not certain as to what to expect. Maybe the fears running through my mind, imagined the worst. When I opened the box I was pleasently surprised.

I actually really like the smell. Its not a smell I would suspect to be used for a shave soap. But its nice and clean. I let a few people at work take a whiff and they all seemed to think it was a nice clean scent. A few people mentioned it smelled like a very pleasant dryer sheet. I kind of agree.

Anyway, just my two cents. Now I should have enough Arko to last me for a rather long time.

As a side note. I shaved with it for the first time this morning. Aside from maybe using a little too much, it worked really really well. The lather exploded very quickly and it was a cinch to relather. Two Thumbs up!

Same here. Why is Arko not among your list of soaps at the bottom?