Cult of Arko

[Kix]

April 13, 2024 Saturday shave

Razor: Karve Overlander, stainless steel
Blade: Gillette Nacet (2)
Soap: ARKO!
Brush: Cremo horse hair
Post shave: Omega alum block, Thayer's Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer

This was a three pass shave. No weepers, nicks or irritation. Very close, very smooth!
I can always count on the Overlander to give a wonderful, no drama shave.

Enjoy your weekend!

 

[Lane101]

I recently broke in a new Arko stick. Formed it into a puck. Great 10/10 shave!

Link to my post #69,879 on the shave below:

What did you use today? +Rate the shave 1-10 (10 best)

Rocnel Elite • Nacet • Longshaving Reserve VI on M&F • Ethos 💯 😎

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[tejolot3]

Today's shave

https://imgur.com/QrY1PQp

 

[Lee Van Cleft]

Have had the sticks but got this today….

 

[ajkel64]

Shaving Soap of the Day for me today was Arko. I like to grate my sticks into a puck. Normally two shave sticks grated will fill this plastic container and get me through a twelve month period.

 

[ajkel64]

Shaving Soap of the Day for me was Arko. I only have one stick left so I will have to get a few more. It takes two sticks grated to fill this plastic container.

 

[WThomas0814]

 

[thombrogan]

Dear brain-trust,

I can lather ARKO! with synthetic, badger, and honse brushes, but my favorite piggy brush (bleached boar from Whipped Dog) has been a challenge.

For those of you that regularly use boar bristles to apply this most perfect of soaps, what’s your technique?

Thank you in advance

 

[WThomas0814]

Punch’s, yeah? I use exclusively boars and Arko lathers easily for me.

My technique:
1. Soak brush in scuttle for 10-15 minutes, warm water.
2. Splash face with hottest water i can stand.
3. Gently squeeze brush once in the middle of the knot to slightly drain.
4. Load brush by alternating between clockwise and anti-clockwise swirls, primarily tips but slightly splayed. I do this as long as it takes to fill my basin about half way, so, maybe 30 seconds. I never timed it, nor did I ever count swirls. My wee soap bowl is overflowing with pre-lather by the time I’m finished (I use Anchor-Hocking 1-cup glass bowls with lids from the Big River; the puck fits perfectly).
5. Apply brush to face. I go against manufacturers instructions and alternate between scrubbing hand painting until I am satisfied with the lather. When I say “scrub,” I mean SCRUB. Scrub and paint, scrub and paint.
6. Complete first pass and rinse face.
7. Dip brush tips in sink, flick once, and reload, maybe 5-6 swirls in each direction. There may be enough soap left in the brush, but, soap is cheap.
8. Repeat 5-7 as required.
9. When done with shave, I wipe down my soap bowl to remove leftover lather and let it sit uncovered for the day, then cover and put in the cabinet at night.

I never need to add additional water and the wet brush blooms the soap adequately. I have a well, so my water is quite hard, even with my treatment system.

If you’re speaking of sticks, I can give my technique for that as well. I much prefer pucks and use sticks only for travel.

 

[thombrogan]

Thank you, Bill!

I do primarily use ARKO! in stick form. Oddly, my favorite boar brush works with great with other soaps and creams and I can lather ARKO! with every other brush I use - including an Ω boar brush.

 

[Jay21]

Dear brain-trust,

I can lather ARKO! with synthetic, badger, and honse brushes, but my favorite piggy brush (bleached boar from Whipped Dog) has been a challenge.

For those of you that regularly use boar bristles to apply this most perfect of soaps, what’s your technique?

Thank you in advance

Thom, you could try what I do, which has never failed to make Arko into the creamiest, bestest lather evah!

Put the Arko into a bowl or mug. Soak the brush, then wring out as much water as you can. Load the brush until the fibers begin to stick together. Then put water directly in the mug/bowl on top of the Arko (I use about a teaspoon) and then continue to lather. It explodes into a fantastic cream. The brush will swell with the lather. Then I "push" the brush down and slightly splay the fibers onto any remaining lather on top of the soap puck to finish loading the brush.

Works every time. Did it this morning in fact.

 

[thombrogan]

Thanks, Jay! When I get back to my boar brush, I’ll try that.

I‘m just befuddled because this brush works well with everything else and ARKO! works with all my other brushes, even another boar brush. For now, the ARKO! remains and I ask myself the age old question: G5A or G5C?

 

[Kix]

May 28, 2024 Tuesday shave

Razor: Gillette NDC Pre-war Tech
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (1)
Soap: ARKO!
Brush: Paladin STF XL
Bowl: Captain's Choice Heavyweight copper
Post shave: Osma alum block, Thayer's Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Fine Snake Bite

Since it's Tuesday, it seemed fitting to use a Tech today. I found that it's been more than a year since used a Tech! That's been corrected now, and I was rewarded with a great shave. Three passes with no weepers, nicks, etc. and no irritation. The ARKO! soap was excellent, as usual! This shave was amazingly good!

Enjoy your day!

 

[WThomas0814]

 

[PersistentlyBlunt]

including an Ω boar brush

I was going to reply with what has never failed me with Arko! but I use the Omega boar and you are not having issues with that one.

I am just about to finish my second Arko! stick and it has not let me down yet. I was thinking about this on Monday when I last used it though, I rub the stick on my wet face, but before rubbing I dip and hold the end of the stick in the hot water (actually quite hot) and this helps it go on. Lather with damp brush circular motion.

Good luck.