Suggestions requested for long time Arko user

[JWK1]

Title pretty much says it. I've used Arko exclusively since I started wet shaving in 2012. No complaints, I just want to try something else.

1. I do not care about scent. Please do not base your suggestions on scent. I am looking for performance only.
2. I am looking for something that is even more slick than Arko.
3. I am not looking for the "best bargain". I already have that. Arko is ridiculously cheap. However, I would like to stay in the "good value" area.

So there it is. There is nothing wrong with Arko. I could shave with it for the rest of my life and not be dissatisfied. I've simply come near the end of my 12 stick box (took 8 years, and that's after giving a few sticks away) and would like to try something else.

Let's hear your suggestions for something you think produces slicker lather than Arko that won't break the bank.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

 

[Ivo4u2]

Tabac is going to be a strong contender for sure.

Fine is another one.

Me and lots of others are a fan of stirling great value/performance. In my experience sheep base is slicker.
Stirling is great in mentholated.

Bargain/performance Cella! Some buy a kilo

PAA cube or stirling preshave soap as a pre shave soap layer under the shavingsoap boosts even mediocre soaps a lot.

Barrister and Men I love terror have to get one...

 

[MelC]

I have used 5-6 different soaps and always reach for Stirling when trying any new razors or my straight. Slick and not a bad price.

 

[FarmerTan]

Buy more Arko!

Okay, how about Palmolive stick if you can find any. VERY close to Arko. I love sticks, or rather, I love rubbing a soap on my face and lathering it. I have taken to doing so with pucks. The nicest thing about Stirling is it's soft enough to push a sample sized soap into a used deodorant container and treating it like a stick. Stirling is probably about as high priced as I'd go, since I'm cheap. But it's a very nice soap at any price in my proud opinion.

 

[global_dev]

Slicker lather?

La toja is a solid choice,
so is tabac,
The superfatted are worth a go imho.

 

[FarmerTan]

Slicker lather?

La toja is a solid choice,
so is tabac,
The superfatted are worth a go imho.

I hope they don't REALLY think I have a "proud" opinion.

Everyone should know I'm actually quite proud of my humility.

 

[Wishoot]

La toja

Loving this stuff. The scent is a nice bonus, but the performance is superb.

 

[bigbrucefan]

My favorites for slickness are Barrister and Mann in the Excelsior base (any one of them!) and Caties Bubbles. I'm also partial to TOBS creams (I have four at the moment).

 

[Timeclo]

Stirling soaps are really slick and it feels more creamy than Arko. I'd recommend you try one. The value is not as great as Arko (I don't think anything beats arko in value) but how it lathers with pleasant scent and provides slickness is a lot better for me.

 

[Smooth and Sharp]

Cella kilo or tabac are in that category.

 

[SterFry]

Mike's Naturals
Tabac
MWF
Barrister Reserve
Williams is actually crazy slick, but it can be a pain in the *** to work with.

Adding a touch of Cremo to just about any soap will make it damn slippery

 

[Rudy Vey]

Tabac, Speick, Palmolive, La Toja - all great soaps!!

 

[JWCowboy]

Another vote for Cella, hard to beat the value of the kilo brick!

 

[spookmeister]

Tabac for sure.
Stirling is great too.

 

[Atlantic59]

I'd suggest Speick, La Toja, Tabac, or Wilkinson Sword sticks first off. There are many good soaps, though.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

The slickest soap I ever tried is Mitchells Wool Fat. It's a little bit more of a drama queen to load, but the slickness (and value) is ridiculous. It contains lanolin, which is also great if your skin doesn't have any reaction to it (mine does). It leaves your skin very soft and supple. You definitely need to get a puck of the fat if you never have. And though you don't care, the scent is just lovely, one of the nicest I've encountered in a shave soap.

I'm going to go off course a bit and tell you what I think about slickness. It's not the most important part of a shave soap. Softening the hairs is equally, if not more important, than the slickness itself as far as I'm concerned. Arko and Mitchells Wool Fat are Tallow-forward soaps whereas some other greats like Tabac, Speick, and La Toja are not. Those are Stearic Acid forward soaps and absolutely set the hairs up to get sliced oh so nice and close. The slickness is nothing like Arko and Mitchells Wool Fat, but I always get closer shaves from Tabac, Speick, and La Toja, just saying.

For what all these products cost, and how much money you've saved over the years using Arko, I'd buy each and every one of the above and give them all a try. If you used Arko as a shave stick and didn't press it into a bowl, Tabac, Speick, and La Toja can all be purchased in shave stick format and that's exactly how I'd buy them, I love shave sticks!

 

[old_school]

Not sure you'll find anything that is heads and shoulders better than Arko as far as lather quality, slickness, protection. FWIW here's my short list of maybe slicker soaps to try, Tabac, Williams. Haven't done a side by side though.

 

[sugardaddy]

MWF

Stirling (regular base, which is beef tallow)

Stirling mutton Tallow (even nicer than the beef tallow, available in any of the ones that say "sheep" and also Glastonbury, Port au Prince... and Varen if you're in the springtime). I like the mutton base so much that I chose it specifically when I did my 365th shave with my Nacet blade a few weeks ago.

Fine Accoutrements classic hard pucks are an amazing performer, but sadly have been discontinued. But that was recent and you may still be able to find some in a few of the retailers.

Tabac

All of these give me a creamier lather than arko, while still being well hydrated and very slick.

(Sent from mobile)

 

[brettimby]

+1 on Mitchell's Wool Fat!

 

[Mathieu76]

The stirling mutton tallow based soaps are the best performing soaps i have tried. Really easy to lather, slick and great post shave feel