Cult of Arko

[demaro]

Does Arkoholics sound too offensive to anyone? :)

I like that .. I am an Arkoholic..

[vitalMyth]

I happen to love the scents of both Arko and Tabac

high five brother

[vferdman]

So far I only have two soaps. The first I got with my initial "taking the plunge" kit was Proraso white tub. I like it. It works, smells really nice to me. Then I read a lot about Arko and bought a stick for all of $2.39. I tried it as soon as I got it and had to kind of breathe through my mouth, the scent was very strong and very institutional, but the LATHER! It's not like I was comparing to new Williams or some other cheap stuff. I've been using Proraso white tub for a while with very good results. Arko beats Proraso in lather hands down. Arko lather is slicker, stays slick on longer on the face, has more cushion. I find Proraso dries up on parts of the face where I go last for the pass. Arko stays wet and slick longer. I consistently get more comfortable shaves with Arko than with Proraso. In fact, if it wasn't for the scent, I would give up Proraso in favor of Arko. As it is, I use proraso just to get the Arko smell out of my brushes. It's not a terrible smell, but really very institutional, like public bathrooms or soap in hotels and hospitals. I aired out my Arko stick for a few weeks and it mellowed out and became a lot more agreeable. The lower intensity of the smell really improves matters if Arko's scent bothers you. I guess some batches are not as strong smelling and that may be why some people mind the scent less than others. Mine was pretty strong and in combination with its character I found it hard to use every day. I now ordered a tub of Cella to see how other tallow based soaps work. I just got Cella and have not used it yet. Just smelled it and it smells of almonds. Not exactly what I would like in shave soap smell, but not repulsive like Arko's smell. I think Proraso white is just about perfect smell for me. It smells fresh and invigorating without having that chemical cleanser of institutional soaps. Anyway, despite the smell, I am an Arko devotee since it is an amazing shaving soap. In all aspects besides scent. And scent does become tolerable after the stick airs out a bit. In low doses Arko smell actually associates with cleanliness and crispness of fresh laundry. Once I lather it on my face and begin shaving, I am instantly placed in "perfect lather" zone every time and it makes me forget and forgive the smell and just enjoy the shave. It is an amazing formulation. The bar is set high for other soaps at twice and three times the price (La Toja?).

[stevesteve]

I'm glad you Arkomaniacs have contributed to this thread it will make it easier to identify you should it become necessary to round you all up for your own protection. ;-)

[Debrushman]

Just had another super Arko shave. It really is absolutely ridiculous how easy this stuff lathers. Of coarse my stick has been airing out for several weeks, at that point it smells good, like ivory snow soap.
Did I mention its super slickness and cushion? At $2.00 or less a stick this stuff is deadly, as you can see by this thread, the cult of Arko continues to grow.

[xero2099]

whatcha gonna do when the arkomaniacs run wild on you!!!

[blader]

I don't rotate soaps, so I've been waiting 6 weeks to finish that puck of Williams and dreaming of Arko every day. Today I threw the remainder of my Williams puck in the trash and Arko'd up. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. I feel as if I'm awakening from a deep, but strangely unproductive sleep, to a fresh and lemon-tinged dawn.

[jsj_297]

I really thought this was a cult sign up thread when I opened it. I was gonna sign up. Good stuff, good smell, good performance, good price. =great!!!

[Wildalaska]

I cant stand the stuff. The lowest Ill go on the shaving continuum is El Mehlor, or Speick (which is actually the true champ of bargain shave stuff). If I was stuck on a desert island with ARKO, Id grow a beard

[Debrushman]

I quote Blader "and dreaming of Arko everyday". Its a cult I am telling you.

[kg0mz]

I like Arko. I rub the stick on and lather with a brush. If you can turn a stick into a puck, can you turn a puck into a stick? And why? I bet you could turn a big blob of Cella into miniature farm animals, but would it shave better that way?

[mblakele]

Turning pucks into sticks seems to be a hobby of mine. I find the soap easier to work with that way.

[Southern Gent]

I ordered an Arko stick last week, can't wait to try it!

[mrchilli]

I'm not sure what it is, but there's definitely 'something' about the Arko Stick that keeps it in my #1 spot. I have Erasmic twist-up sticks that lather better, provide a smoother shave and could be viewed as more efficient...but the Arko seems more 'honest'. It's a time-honoured shaving stick that's meant for shaving...no frills or gimmicks... If you get a bad shave with an Arko stick, it's probably down to your technique or choice of razor/blade.

I should mention that I'm addicted to the smell of the Arko Stick, so my opinion may be slightly biased!

[seventhirteen]

I'm bidding on some Arko on the 'bay. We'll see...

[Bengal Tiger]

Where's a good place to get just 1 stick at an affordable price to try it?

[Songwind]

Where's a good place to get just 1 stick at an affordable price to try it?

The problem w/ one stick is the shipping. If you have other things you need you can get them for $1.99 at Bestshave.net.

If you just want the Arko, the Razorblades and More deal (2 stick/free shipping for $7) is probably your best bet.

[turbo tom]

You mean modern Williams? First off, I can lather Williams. With a bit of work, I can get a good, long lasting slick lather. Arko, on the other hand, lathers ridiculously easy. There really is no comparison

Yep, modern Williams. With a few drops of water sitting on my puck while the brush is soaking and I'm in the shower, I get a good lather in about 2 minutes. If Arko is as good and even easier then I REALLY NEED TO TRY IT.

[vferdman]

I just tried Cella in the red tub and in the little experience I had with it (3 shaves), I think Arko beats it hands down. I may be doing something wrong with Cella, I don't know, but with Arko I did not need any tips or tricks. It just lathered and stayed slippery through 5 passes the first time I used it. It may be the stick form factor that forces you to use just the right amount of product, but I think Arko is just a better shaving soap. It does smell and Cella in that respect is better with a very light almond scent that does not stay on you after the shave. Arko after a few weeks of airing is pretty acceptable to me in the smell department. At first I didn't think I could shave with it, but after a good airing out it's the best shaving soap I have used. I have recently used Proraso white tub, and a long time ago Williams (before my DE days, but I did try to use soap and brush a while back) and now Cella. I am still holding judgement on Cella, since it has a following almost as rabid as Arko. One thing I felt was that Cella just was not slick enough for me. Proraso is definitely slicker and Arko is the current leader in my slick and cushy metric. Arko just rocks! Also, it seems to be consumed very slowly, which makes it very economical. I wonder if Derby stick is the same stuff. Anyone try Derby stick? I am now very interested in Turkish shaving sticks. Seems they know the secret.

And here is the deal on Amazon for 15 Arko stick for $25 including shipping.

Enjoy!

[Debrushman]

Turbo Tom, modern Williams is okay and will get the job done. But it has a hard times competing with Arko. Arko's slick and cushiony, and nothing is easier to lather. Its a lather explosion. You just have to make it past the fragrance. Let's not mention $1.99 a stick, and how that stick lasts forever.
Unwrapping the stick for several days or better yet weeks, really diminishes the fragrance, than it smells nice.
Arko is going to get you, its just a matter of time.