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Arko August 2020

31/Arko/2020 - Arko August shave #27

Final Arko August shave for this year and I evidently took a cue from @Flintstone65.
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Razor #1: GEM Jr. Bar / GEM Personna SS PTFE
Razor #2: KAMA 23 (shave test)
Soap: Arko stick (pucked and face lathered)
Brush: Heritage Collection Ever-Ready 200 in silvertip
Post-shave: Old Spice Classic

Fantastic shave today. Started with the GEM for a full three passes, then went back ATG all over with the KAMA for that polished glass finish. Neither razor disappointed, and if course it was that wonderful slickness that is Arko that prevented any nastiness from 4 passes total.

The Arko is back in the drawer but that only means it's again part of the rotation instead of being the whole rotation. Thanks to all for a great Arko August!
 
Looks like including today, I used Arko for 6 shaves in August. Performance was fantastic for each and every shave. Kudos to those who stuck to it for all 31 days!

Monday August 31st, 2020
Razor : Gillette Canadian Prewar Tech
Blade : KCG
Brush : Razorock F-400
Pre : Barbasol Sensitive Skin
Soap : Arko
Post : Thayers Coconut Water and 50/50 blend of Osage and Skin Bracer

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Shave: 24
8-31-2020
Soap: ARKO stick in a repurposed deodorant..
Razor: Fatip Piccolo OC
Blade: Dorco st-301 (70)
Brush: Omaga 49
2 pass some touch up DFS.
Fourteen grams of Arko and twenty-four shaves. But wait, it's not done yet. There are still four shaves in that stick. I could easily get that down to a half of a gram per shave. Normally I shave every other day. A seventy-five-gram stick would last me one hundred and fifty shaves. Throw in a few three day weekends and some vacation time, a stick could last a year.

It's been fun. Mostly do to all you guys and the ARKO Man!!!!
 
Monday- my 31st and final shave for Arko August- it's been a wonderful month of shaves!!

Today's shave was a fine two-pass shave with a bit of cleanup went for BBS and got it.
Soap: Arko stick
Brush: Connaught Omega Jade Boar (COJ)
- #011842- this is the first boar I've had that has made me willing to invest the time to properly break it in. It shows a lot of promise.
Razor: Gem MM Flying Wing- it's Micromatic Monday
Blade: Gem PTFE (3?)
AS: Sanborns Orange Blossom-
This is another inexpensive Mexican drug store souvenir. The Sanborns colognes are pretty much alcohol, water, and fragrance, which is why I like them for warm or sticky weather.

Thanks to all that organized and participated in this Arko August- it's been a lot of fun.

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Well done, everyone! We had a lot of participants and a ton of great pics and conversation. Thanks for coming along with me for another Arko August. We'll do it again next year!

SOTD
  • Rockwell 6S (4)
  • Nacet (14)
  • Arko for August (in a re-used tub)
  • SOC Taj (24mm boar)
  • WH w/menthol, LTFT
  • Stirling Spice ASB
  • Vintage Avon Bay Rum AS
Having used it for all my shaves in August, I don't think I'll miss Arko tomorrow. On the other hand, if I used it exclusively for another month, I would be just as happy, and that's the mark of a great soap.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
ARKO-SHARKO-AUGUST-WHOLE HOG-LIVE ACTION!

Thanks to @FoolishMortal for superintending all this nonsense. It's been a lot of fun. I finished up with the usual Super Speed, a Shark SS on shave #3, Arko stick, a Simpson Duke 3 synthetic, and some Gabels Lilac after shave.

It is an outstanding soap. Great lather, easy to use, plenty slick. I've never used Arko for 4 solid weeks before. I've used Williams & the Palmolive stick for months at a time before, but never Arko. Now having done so, I can unequivocally say that at least in terms of long term daily use I would prefer Palmolive and Williams to Arko, in that order. But I'll always have Arko on hand. I can guarantee that because I have 8 or 9 sticks here. I'll happily join Arko August again next summer if it happens again.

And now for one last time, let's hear what the Turtle Man thinks of ARKO-SHARKO AUGUST WHOLE HOG:

 
ARKO / 31 / 2020

Soap: ARKO

Brush : Omega PRO 48

Razor: EJ DE89

Blade: GSB

Post Shave: Thayers Lavander WH

Aftershave: Old Spice

Last shave of Arko August in the books. I will be using ARKO for the foreseeable future. I started ARKO August with 2 sticks mashed into a bowl and have just made a small dent. I have 6 more unopened sticks to once I finish the bowl.
 
Well, I drew a wild card and went with the Semogue 2000 today. It was a throwback to my early days wetshaving with the 2000, Arko, a Red Tip, and for good measure some Thayer's to complete the ca. 2009 experience. The 2000 is not to my tastes these days, but it's objectively a phenomenal brush. Great shave.

A few things I have learned from a month with Arko:

1. Although I have used Arko extensively in the past, I never realized how much water it could truly take on. I got my slickest ever Arko shaves this month as I kept pushing the water amount.

2. Arko is not picky about lathering technique. Start with a sopping wet boar or a mostly dry synth or anything in between. It loads easily (softer than a milled soap) but not too easily (harder than a croap or artisan soap) and its lather is malleable, so even if it's too airy or watery or pasty at first, it can be adjusted on the fly.

3. The scent really does become far less noticeable with use. I don't think it diminishes so much as it becomes familiar. Because it's not identifiable as tobacco or rose or anything really distinct like that, even though it's potent, it doesn't wallop you in use.

4. I still think Palmolive is better as far as budget sticks go (it's actually my favorite soap, period). However, the difference in performance is not as great as I once thought. Arko has more coconut oil, which makes it a shade more drying and its lather a bit more airy, but they are both stellar options. I let Arko slide out of the rotation for a while, and it is most assuredly back to stay.

This has been a fun month, and I will gladly do it every single August. 31 killer shaves.
 
Final Arko August shave of 2020

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Decided to go with one of my favorite Arko shave set up's.

Thanks to all who participated in Arko August 2020. You all made it fun to be a part of. I think this may have been the best Arko August so far. Also thanks to Foolish Mortal for hosting it. You did a great job (just like last year) and I hope you want to do it again for 2021.
 
Twenty-sixth use in August:

Preshave: Hot washcloth, Nuage oil
Soap: Arko, bowl-lathered
Brush: Cheap Men-U boar
Razors:
GC.84, Astra SP #2
GC.68, Boots #2
Post-shave: Nivea Balm, Old Spice AS.

Final shave of Arko August was another easy DFS.

Thanks to Foolish Mortal for setting it up, and to all for an enjoyable and instructive month.
 
Well folks this wraps up Arko August for me. Thanks to @FoolishMortal for managing the madness👍 It’s been a lot of fun. Loved seeing all the pix and everyone’s setups - very cool!

Had an evening shave today using the mighty Arko stick, an Omega 10049 boar, a Yaqi DOC razor with an Arko Sharko Super Chrome blame and wrapped it up with a few splashes of Clubman Bay Rum. I’m a happy camper!

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