Can't get Nacet blades to work for me...

[clark1109]

I really want these blades to work. But I can't dial in a good against the grain pass with my Piccolo. I don't get nicks or weepers, just pulling and irritation. I've adjusted for angle and pressure, and haven't had any luck. Perma-sharps on the other hand are pleasant. Almost like scratching an itch.

Any thoughts? Is there a difference in coatings?

 

[musicman1951]

All blades and faces are different. Use the blades that work for you and leave the mysteries of the universe (like why some work for some people and not others) to other sages.

 

[Tostig]

Not a Nacet fan. I like Perma-Sharps better, but plenty of blades I like better than both. It's a very individual thing.

 

[emwolf]

I think you should send me all your unused Nacets for proper disposal.

 

[clark1109]

For now, I’ll chalk it up to user error. That being said, a PIF in the future is always possible.

 

[Granite.Glasser]

You have to be part reptilian for them to work well for you... it is CLEARLY illustrated on the Nacet packaging!

 

[StratMan]

yeah same for me. I find them a bit on the rough side for my skin, but others i know love them. These have gotten better with technique but why settle when there are so many other great blades that work for my face

 

[steelhead52]

Yeah blades sure a YMMV thing for sure. I love sharp blades and Nacets are right at the top. I also like Feathers, GSBs, Gillette 7 O'Clock Black, and even Personna Reds, but anything less sharp than those cause me a lot of irritation. For many, Astra SPs are very much loved and are the ticket, but I really dislike them. So much depends on your technique, razor, prep, beard type, and shaving style. The key is obviously finding what works for you. Just because some really like Nacet it surely may not be a favorite for many. I have probably an above average beard density and sensitive skin and for years was always a 4 pass shaver in quest of my daily BBS shave. With sharp blades I can skip the WTG pass and jump into XTG and ATG 1st pass and Get BBS on the 2nd pass with touch ups but only if using the sharpest blades. With less strokes, I get overall less irritation. For me Nacets excel. I like Permasharps very much also but there sure is a difference in sharpness from the 1st shave to the 2nd. As with most blades, they actually get sharper on the 2nd shave as the coating begins to wear. I find this to be very extreme with the Permasharp so sometimes I get a little irritation if I get sloppy. If I pay attention, its a great blade also.

 

[GaryTha]

All blades and faces are different. Use the blades that work for you and leave the mysteries of the universe (like why some work for some people and not others) to other sages.

I like this theory. The first two types of blades I tried worked for me. Why test more?

 

[Your Majesty]

Nacet is very aggressive for me even in a mild vintage gillette TTO. I don't get tugging and pulling. I get nicks from it.

Maybe I'll try it again since I have a few pieces left.

 

[johnwick]

Blades can be really hit and miss. One mans treasure is another’s misery. Best to move on for awhile and maybe revisit in a few months.

 

[Rontu]

Put them off to the side, and if you own other razors try them on those, someday. Your technique and expectations for a blade can change with time. Nacets worked for me from the get-go. Derby Extras used to work for me and then one day it felt like I was shaving with the dullest blade imaginable, despite them being fresh blades. Maybe our whiskers are just bipolar and choose to make things difficult at times.

 

[Your Majesty]

Put them off to the side, and if you own other razors try them on those, someday. Your technique and expectations for a blade can change with time. Nacets worked for me from the get-go. Derby Extras used to work for me and then one day it felt like I was shaving with the dullest blade imaginable, despite them being fresh blades. Maybe our whiskers are just bipolar and choose to make things difficult at times.

Sometimes it might be because of a faulty blade in the pack. It happens from time to time.

 

[Toothpick]

Just move on Is my thoughts. Plenty of blades out there that will work. Don’t waste much time trying to make a single blade work.

 

[Bogeyman]

I like this theory. The first two types of blades I tried worked for me. Why test more?

Did you marry one of the first two women you kissed?

 

[FarmerTan]

I like this theory. The first two types of blades I tried worked for me. Why test more?

You shouldn't, actually. My first was the GSB. Obviously, as it was my first, I had no idea how great it was.

Lucky for me I never jumped in to the whole "buy a hundred cuz they're cheap" thing.

The other blade that I really love, or it loves my face, is the Astra SS.

And I've never bought either of them. The (50) GSB were PIF'd me when I first joined, and recently @mrdoug sent me 95! Astra SS as he is a gem, and I believe that he prefers the Astra SP.

This place has blessed me so much.

 

[RayClem]

I like Nacet blade a lot. They are not quite as smooth as some blades, but they work well for me in most razors.

For the OP, it may be that the Nacet blades are not well suited to the Piccolo razor. I have not used a Piccolo, so I have no idea why that may be the case. Some razors tend to be fussy about blade choice. I find that choosing the right blade for an open comb razor is even more important that choosing one for a solid bar razor.

 

[BigJ]

Blades can be really hit and miss. One mans treasure is another’s misery. Best to move on for awhile and maybe revisit in a few months.

+1! Yes indeed!!

For me Nacets tick all the boxes: sharp, smooth and long lasting!! But your face is different.

 

[steelhead52]

You shouldn't, actually. My first was the GSB. Obviously, as it was my first, I had no idea how great it was.

Lucky for me I never jumped in to the whole "buy a hundred cuz they're cheap" thing.

The other blade that I really love, or it loves my face, is the Astra SS.

And I've never bought either of them. The (50) GSB were PIF'd me when I first joined, and recently @mrdoug sent me 95! Astra SS as he is a gem, and I believe that he prefers the Astra SP.

This place has blessed me so much.

When I first started I used Astra SPs. Thought they were OK for about 3 shaves then they got very draggy. Then I tried some samples and settled on GSBs. They were my favorite for about 5 years. Now I discovered Nacet, Feather, and Gillette Blacks. I thought maybe after a number of years and more aggressive razors, I should try the Astra SPs again. Still do not like them. The Astra SSs though I like fine. They seem smoother and sharper to me. But Nacets are one Blade that are sharp and smooth enough for me to skip the WTG and XTG Passes. With them, I find them sharp and smooth enough to start right off ATG 1st pass followed by a 2nd pass of ATG and touchup for BBS. This cut my normal 4 pass shave to two with less irritation. I couldn't even do that with a Feather which takes 3 passes. I really like the Nacet blade. Blades sure are a YMMV with so many variables including facial hair, razor, prep, and technique. I've heard enough people say they can't get along with Nacets to know they are not for everyone.

 

[RayClem]

When I first started I used Astra SPs. Thought they were OK for about 3 shaves then they got very draggy. Then I tried some samples and settled on GSBs. They were my favorite for about 5 years. Now I discovered Nacet, Feather, and Gillette Blacks. I thought maybe after a number of years and more aggressive razors, I should try the Astra SPs again. Still do not like them. The Astra SSs though I like fine. They seem smoother and sharper to me. But Nacets are one Blade that are sharp and smooth enough for me to skip the WTG and XTG Passes. With them, I find them sharp and smooth enough to start right off ATG 1st pass followed by a 2nd pass of ATG and touchup for BBS. This cut my normal 4 pass shave to two with less irritation. I couldn't even do that with a Feather which takes 3 passes. I really like the Nacet blade. Blades sure are a YMMV with so many variables including facial hair, razor, prep, and technique. I've heard enough people say they can't get along with Nacets to know they are not for everyone.

It seems your preference for blades is a lot like mine. I have tried Astra SP in several razors and have yet to get a close, comfortable shave with one. Blades like GSB work fine, but I really prefer sharper blades. Astra SS blades work well as do Personna Reds, German Wilkies, 7 O'Clock Black, Nacets, PermaSharp Super and BIC Chrome Platinum. I am not as fond of Feather blades as I rarely can get more than two great shaves before they start to deteriorate.

A few other less well -known blades that work for me are: net Shark Platinum, SuperMax Blue Diamond, and Dorco STP301 Prime Platinum. So as you can see, I do not restrict my blade purchases to any specific country. Great blades can come from many areas of the world.