Arko - What went wrong?

**adios_mach_3s** · 05-21-2012, 04:33 PM

I was excited to get my new order of Arko sticks in the mail today; and took it for a test spin.

I was amazed at how quickly it lathered up; and the lather looked great. Only one problem - the lather had no 'substance' (can't think of a better word to describe i). It seemed to be all fluff. The razor just kind of skipped across my skin as if I was just shaving on my wet skin. Also, the slightest amount of water seemed to make the lather disappear.

So, for the Arko experts out there, what did I do wrong. Too much water? Not enough water? Did I over-lather it?

So far I have shaved mainly with various creams with great success (proraso and TOBS). Although I have a sample of MWF from Garry that I have used twice, and it worked great as well.

Thanks in advance for the advice...

**Go West Young Man** · 05-21-2012, 04:38 PM

Sounds like not enough product.

**mctmatt** · 05-21-2012, 04:40 PM

More product and just ease back a little on the water.

**7 O Menthol** · 05-21-2012, 04:41 PM

It sounds to me like your brush was probably far too wet before lathering.
Face lathering with a stick is definitely more of a "damp brush" approach for me personally. In fact, I literally squeeze some of the water out of my brush, thinking it will always be easier to add water than to take it out.

**CorCat87** · 05-21-2012, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by mctmatt

More product and just ease back a little on the water.

+1

**adios_mach_3s** · 05-21-2012, 05:16 PM

Yep, you guys were right. I just whipped up a batch with significantly less water and it was perfect. The sad part was washing it drown the drain, though since I had already shaved...

Thanks again!

**bvance554** · 05-21-2012, 09:51 PM

Its a great soap and I'm glad to hear it worked out for you.

**turtle** · 05-21-2012, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by adios_mach_3s

Yep, you guys were right. I just whipped up a batch with significantly less water and it was perfect. The sad part was washing it drown the drain, though since I had already shaved...

Thanks again!

Arko is fast becoming my favorite. I have a lot of different soaps but I keep coming back to Arko.

I just took my working stick apart and stuffed it into a twist up shave stick container. Now it will be a lot easier to take with me when I travel

**vitalMyth** · 05-22-2012, 02:54 AM

arko is great, i let mine go to a PIF for a lucky new shaver but once i figured it out i understood why everyone raves about it. glad you found out that you just needed more product and less water, i had the EXACT same experience with it.

**OldGreyGuy** · 05-22-2012, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by 7 O Menthol

It sounds to me like your brush was probably far too wet before lathering.
Face lathering with a stick is definitely more of a "damp brush" approach for me personally. In fact, I literally squeeze some of the water out of my brush, thinking it will always be easier to add water than to take it out.

+1. Darn good advice it is always easier to add water than take it away.

**InHotWater** · 05-22-2012, 03:46 AM

Arko is very inexpensive. Don't be afraid to use more product. I find that when my stubble is longer, it helps apply the soap to my face for lathering.

**drocu** · 06-10-2012, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by turtle

Arko is fast becoming my favorite. I have a lot of different soaps but I keep coming back to Arko.

I just took my working stick apart and stuffed it into a twist up shave stick container. Now it will be a lot easier to take with me when I travel

Is that one of the containers from WCS? I just bought three of them for this purpose. Did you have to mill the Arko at all? I wasn't sure how to get it into the container since there is that rod in the center.

**gus1942** · 06-10-2012, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by drocu

Is that one of the containers from WCS? I just bought three of them for this purpose. Did you have to mill the Arko at all? I wasn't sure how to get it into the container since there is that rod in the center.

Just driii or punch a hole in the Arko stick and it fits perfectly on the center post in the $1.75 WCS container

**jsj_297** · 06-10-2012, 04:57 PM

No offense, but it's not the arkos fault......don't be affraid to load the brush past the point you think it's loaded, get to that point and add another 10-15 seconds of loading. Start off overloading, the gradually learn how to reduce the amount, it's quite easy to figure out on this particular soap.

**Topgumby** · 06-11-2012, 12:10 AM

Just think of that old Andrea True disco song when you apply your Arko.... "More More More!"

**pipskicks** · 06-11-2012, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by jsj_297

No offense, but it's not the arkos fault......don't be affraid to load the brush past the point you think it's loaded, get to that point and add another 10-15 seconds of loading. Start off overloading, the gradually learn how to reduce the amount, it's quite easy to figure out on this particular soap.

I had to start loading almost all soaps (hard soaps at least) "past the point I think it's loaded" since I'm impatient and it at least "looks" loaded fairly quickly sometimes. But it's much less messier and much easier to just load more. I may waste a bit of soap, but that's what B&B BST is for, hoarding enough soaps so that part doesn't matter.