#1
In the wet shaving world are 3 soaps which causes passional love or eternal hatred among wet shavers because of the performance or the scent : one is Williams Shaving soap,the Tabac shaving soap and Arko Shaving stick.

I am the one who used to have a bad relationship with Arko due to its scent,even when it not that bad shaving soap performer,but I left it "open", without the paper wrap, for over a month,and its scent is even "decent".

What about you gents,are you Arko lovers or Arko critics?

#2

Member
Austin, TX
I fall in the middle. I think it's a solid value, good performer and I neither like nor hate the scent.

Tabac on the other hand is very polarizing for me. I want to like it badly but the scent just kills it for me. And my wife.

I keep a tub around, use it once a year or so and everytime my wife, who has a sensitive nose, not only recognizes the scent but it is likely the only of ALL my soaps she "nose" [sic] by name. She typically says something along the lines: "Is it a Tabac shave day, Grandma?" Clearly she feels that it is both connotative of being older and feminine which doesn't do much for my esteem [I am 50 by the way so solve for half the equation admittedly].

But I just can't PIF it because I think one day the stars will align and both she and I will think it a winner. The performance is great!
Kevin
#3

Member
Detroit
I haven't tried Arko yet (or smelled it), I have a puck of Williams that I picked up for a dollar when I first started out of curiosity. I've used it maybe 3 times in 8 months. The only time it was any good was when I made a superlather (or is it uberlather?) mixing it with some TOBS lavender cream. I've also tried the Tabac. I picked up a sample from Garry's Sample Shop. It was OK, but I found it dried my face a little and was lacking in the post-shave department. The scent, while I like it, I can see how people say it smells "old lady-ish", so its just not a must have for me.

I've always thought about throwing a stick of Arko onto an order (why not? Its only $2-3) but have never pulled the trigger. Maybe on my next one...
- Jeff
#4
...........arko......... she is very good......... very inexpensive and very good lather..............the scent does not bother me...
#5

Member
Central Maine
I actually like the scent of all 3 soaps, But I'll never buy another puck of Williams because Arko exists and it works much better. Arko has the best price/performance ratio of any soap IMO (when bought in bulk for $1per), but neither Arko or Tabac can be faulted for performance during the shave. After the shave the skin is left dry, but that can be addressed with other products.
Brian. Lover of SE razors.
#6

Administrator
Philadelphia, PA
I think it's almost impossible to NOT get an arko stick to lather. the scent, however, is terrible. to me it smells almost identical to a citronella candle that's used to keep bugs away.

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Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.
#7

Member
Detroit
^I might like it then. Call me weird but I kind of like the smell of citronella.
- Jeff
#8

Administrator
Philadelphia, PA
(10-17-2015, 11:32 PM)wyze0ne Wrote: ^I might like it then. Call me weird but I kind of like the smell of citronella.

some people like the scent. it's not so off-putting that I wouldn't use the stick, I just prefer others if I have a choice.
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.
#9

Emperor of Shaving
Arko is horrible imho. Many better options at good prices.


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Carmine
"veni, vidi, vici"

#10
I get slick cushiony lather from my 5 year old grated up stick of Arko. I think it smell's clean scent wise, like Ivory soap. To handle the post use skin dryness issue I add 7 drops of glycerine to it before I start making lather. I also add water as I facelather. Arko makes a nice creamy lather when properly hydrated. My face never feels tight or dry afterwards. I'll miss my Arko when it's gone, I might replace it
someday after I get back to owning only 2-3 soaps

Clayton

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