Amazing Arko!

What is your opinion on fine shaving creams and hard soaps? Do you like Trumpers, Coates, Taylors, Truefitt & Hill? Post your reviews and opinions here!
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mustang_john
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Amazing Arko!

Post by mustang_john »

Hi guys,

Well it was my birthday the other week, and a surprise gift was two sticks of Arko. Never tried it before, only ever used Bluebeard cream which is nice but pricey, and Palmolive which is very nice and cheap.

But I tried the Arko, and holy cow! That stuff is amazing !

Just a couple of rubs with it across my face, then foam up with the brush. I thought the Pamlolive was smooth, but the Arko is like silk!

So glad she bought it for me :)
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BiffBuff
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by BiffBuff »

It is amazing stuff. But Arko has become something similar to the Yugo car -- a figure of ridicule and fun for many. Unlike the Yugo, this product really delivers! The scent seems to ignite a spark of near hysteria in some posters here and elsewhere. I've grown to like it, but if the same product was offered in different scents, I'd certainly give them a try!

I have to say the same about MWF -- I wish it were offered in different fragrances too.
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JRTASTER
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by JRTASTER »

Don't know if (or when) Father's Day is celebrated in the U.K., but is now the time to drop some hints???

Thoughtful and nice! How did she know???
Enjoying wet shaving, again.
jr/John
brothers
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by brothers »

Personally, and fortunately, I have no objections to the scent of Arko soap. Even though i've accused it of being sudsy (it is :) ) I don't hate it at all.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Squire
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Squire »

I like it well enough to buy it by the 12 count carton.
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Squire
ShadowsDad
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by ShadowsDad »

No argument here.

edit (a few hours later): I just had to use ARKO tonight due to this thread. Yup, it's still a fantastic soap for the price. Of course I made an ultralather with it and most any soap is fantastic turned into an UL.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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BiffBuff
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by BiffBuff »

So Squire -- how long does a dozen last you?
They're fun to give away -- people are amazed at the lather!
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Squire
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Squire »

Never was curious enough to count the number of days an Arko stick lasts, sounds like a summer project. They do make great gifts to new shavers though.
Regards,
Squire
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mustang_john
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by mustang_john »

I'd been looking online at it, and also popped into a "proper" barber shop in Southport to see if they sold it. They did and I had a quick sniff, liked it, but they were asking around a fiver for one stick so I declined. Guess it must have struck a cord with the missus as she got me two sticks.

As for the smell, I love it, it just seems to smell manly and clean to me. But then I love Coal Tar soap as well :)
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Squire
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Squire »

I'm rather fond of the Arko scent myself.
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Squire
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Nitrox
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Nitrox »

Reminds me of the good old Ivory bar soap. Clean and simple.
Bruno

"Shhhhhaving cream, be nice and clean
shave every day and you'll always look keen."
EL Alamein
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by EL Alamein »

These sticks are so close to me I just have to try one some day.

I've smelled the scent through the wrapper and it doesn't smell bad to me like some describe it. It rather smells lemony which smells good to me. I'll put it on the short list.

I don't use sticks as intended because it tends to yield too much soap on my scruff so maybe I'll shave it down into a wooden bowl.

Chris
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Squire
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Squire »

It's fairly soft stuff Chris so there's no need to shave it down. I cut them into a few pieces, flatten with a rolling pin (wine bottle will do), then press into the bottom of the container I plan to use.
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Squire
EL Alamein
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by EL Alamein »

Squire wrote:It's fairly soft stuff Chris so there's no need to shave it down. I cut them into a few pieces, flatten with a rolling pin (wine bottle will do), then press into the bottom of the container I plan to use.
Squire, that's just the direction I needed. Thanks! I will give it a try in the coming weeks.

Chris
Tinman
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Tinman »

I use Arko at hotel sinks around the world. I use it exclusively for travel and go through about a stick and a half per year (I travel ~40-50% of year).

- Great lather no matter the hardness of the water
- Easy to lather with any brush - I usually use a cheap synthetic brush while travelling
- Clean, soapy scent rinses off and does not conflict with AS

I also buy the 12-pack (actually I bought a special 15 stick offer for about $1 a stick)

I throw the end pieces into a small Glad leftover dish and grate/press into a puck when it gets full.

I sometimes feel like I'm just fooling around with the different soaps and creams at home and will eventually just use Arko...
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Straight Arrow
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Straight Arrow »

Arko is good.
Rich
EL Alamein
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by EL Alamein »

Finally got a stick of this from Pickwick Pharmacy in Philadelphia (all things considered, I'd rather be in Philadelphia).

When I unwrapped it the scent morphed from lemony to (these were my first impressions) to a cake of Williams in a Spencer's store in the shopping mall in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Smells good and very nostalgic! And the performance far surpasses Williams.

However the lather on the shave was not quite up to par IMHO with the English hard soaps. It just lacked the slickness and cushion that the English soaps had. It reminded me a lot of Palmolive shaving stick in that regard. Though, I regard the Palmolive to be more gummy when not lathered properly so points to the Arko for not being gummy. Surprisingly, I got no irritation from it, which is a good sign.

The jury is still out on this one on performance for my tastes but I think I may have to learn to dial it in.

On another bright note the scent permeated my brush so thoroughly that it's all I could smell the two subsequent shaves with the Taylor's English Lavender hard soap. This may speak more to the Taylor's than the Arko though. Pleasant enough!

Chris
brothers
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by brothers »

Arko beats the socks off Williams current formula. I sincerely wish Williams would pull its head out of the sand, improve the formula and double the price. Arko proves that something inexpensive doesn't necessarily mean low quality.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Squire
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by Squire »

Chris I liked the scent well enough to keep a stick in the desk drawer at work.
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Squire
EL Alamein
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Re: Amazing Arko!

Post by EL Alamein »

I think I just have to learn to dial this in.

I enjoyed another shave today with it's scent still permeating the lather of the Taylor's.

Chris
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