I've grated and mixed Arko and Williams together,them mashed them into a small ZipLoc container....The result was a large(double) puck of "STELLAR" performing soap for a super cheap price and best of all "for me at least" I don't dislike the smell of either....
Okay, for those who are amazed that I like Arko, here are the issues that determine if a soap will remain in my rotation: Lather - if it doesn't produce a consistent lather BUT I like the scent (Woods of Windsor), I simply add a dollop of KMF unscented cream to boost the lather. It stays. Scent - if it doesn't smell the greatest (Arko), but lathers up into a thick, rich, creamy lather, it stays. I've also found several drops of M Bomb will tone down the scent a bit. AND if it stinks and doesn't lather up worth a darn (Williams), it goes!
Reviving an old thread. I know this is for appreciation, but I have a concern. Does it leave an oil residue for anyone else?
Definitely not. Stirling is the only soap I've used that leaves oily residue. BUT to an extent ALL tallow soaps leave residue. The "squeaky clean" feeling you get when you use a soap such as Irish Spring or Ivory isn't cleanness it is residue. With hard water real tallow soap will leave scum behind. That is why with Dove, which contains synthetic detergents, one does not experience that feeling.
I'm glad I don't have to use Arko anymore . It served me well these years when other soaps have let me down but I never liked the lack of moisturization or the scent. Now MWF has come between us. Arko 2010-2014
No oil residue, I do feel like it's a bit drying. But nothing a balm can't fix. And with that performance it doesn't bother me at all. I'm actually one of those that likes the scent (win!)
No residue for me, and I have never had a problem with the smell.... Then again my wife just walked in the room and said there must be wrong with my nose as I couldn't smell that our youngest daughter had a nappy that needed changing!? But Arko has always been a good reliable, easy to lather soap.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806 - 1861 How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.
I bought the little puck of Arko in the red plastic bowl. I LOVE the smell! I've been bouncing between it and MWF every other day. I don't do shave sticks (irritates my face rubbing them on), but the Arko in the bowl is awesome. No residue here either. I always rinse, splash witch hazel, and splash AS. So any residue would be gone after that anyway.
I have little to say in an arco appreciation tread y'all we're right it lathered ok, I'm not typically a full face lathrrer,so it got an ok from me. the whole shave I just kept thinking, urinal puck. it gets longer more try in s few weeks no love from central Florida for arco
Today was my first Arko shave. Smells like lavender to me. My first face lather with a Kent BK-4 was excellent. Used a Shark on its 4th shave with a Gillette Flair. I got an excellent shave. Arko comes off as a different kind of slick to me. The smell is not off-putting to me, or my wife. I would put this as a must buy, and I will definitely keep it in stock in my shave den. BTW: What is with the Shark blade? My 4th shave was better than my first(really not impressed by the first shave)! This is not one of those blades that needs to be improved by corking is it?
Second Arko Shave. Dug out my first, $5 Wal-Mart Vanderhagen brush and used the Shark on shave 5. BBS!!! I decided if Arko was really good it could do a beginner level brush, 3 passes. Actually it did 4 passes as I got carried away. The lather seems to explode on my face with the boar. Wish I had known about Arko years ago. I think my beard sharpens the Shark blades BTW (just sayin).
