Member
![[Image: n8HYH6G.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/n8HYH6G.jpg)
EPIC SHAVE!! Review coming later tonight. Excellent customer service Andy. By going above and beyond with your Customer Service you made this Customer over here very happy. Absolutely world class razor. Andy kept open communication with me, answered all my questions and reassured me that at the end of the day I will be a Happy Shaver!
Member
Wyoming
(This post was last modified: 04-30-2020, 02:09 AM by Elvis Outlander.)
How to polish it up Tjebbe : Short answer. Use progressively finer wet sanding starting at 400 to 800 grit. . . then polishing paste. The long answer will be helpful if you tackle it.
DETAILS:
I started with 30 micron lapping film laid on a hard flat surface and kept wet. This is about 600 grit, and I think wet sand paper would have worked. I focused on the top of the cap. I didn't want to change the clamping area at. The key with all of the grits, but especially this most coarse one and especially with the top of the top cap, is to get rid of "all" of the "lines" and grooves left by the previous step while removing as little metal as possible. The reason I went with a flat surface was in hopes of removing the top of imperfections without removing anything from the bottom of valleys of the machine grooves. I was afraid setting the lapping film on a soft surface (or going straight to some sort of rotating felt buffing device) would have removed material from the high and low points too equally. I used a razor handle to hold the cap. Be careful not to "sharpen" the edges of the cap.
Because the machining grooves went over the top of the cap the short direction, my initial pass with 30 micron was length wise (so the scratches would be in different directions. . . so I could tell when the previous scratches were gone). This was not ideal on the hard surface, because it was hard to get perfect rounding, but I did my best to keep even removal. This was so scary (and weirdly beautiful). The patterns were striking. I kept doing this until all of the lines (micro scratches) were going the long direction and the lines in the direction of the machine marks were gone.
Then with the same 30 micron, I switched directions to going over the top the short direction (rocking the top cap through the stroke) to get the rounding perfect again without sharpening an edge). It is very important to go slow and be careful (and it helped to know the mirror polished DB's were still in stock if I had to buy a replacement as a safety net).
I then put a mouse pad under the lapping film, and cleaned up some of the other surfaces (like the handle, and a little on the safety bar). Maybe very flexible sanding material would have been handy for this, but I didn't have any.
I repeated with 12 micron (roughly 1200 grit). I didn't use any more lapping film on anything but the top of the top cap. I wanted the safety bar a little rough to add skin stretching (this is how my Diamondback is better than the 2020 Diamondback
). I also wanted to leave the handle with a little extra roughness for grip. I used a Jewelers Loupe to see the micro scratch directions to know when to change directions or grits.
For the top cap, I used 9 micron (1800 grit), 3 micron (8,000 grit), and then 1 micron (14,000 grit) lapping film. Here it was mainly by feel. The razor head fought each new grit at first, then smoothed out as the old scratches were removed.
This whole process was about 2 hours. I then spent about an hour rubbing down the whole thing with Blue Magic metal polish. No motorized instruments used--all by hand.
THIS IS WHY I AM NOT WANTING ANDY TO ADD LOGOS (at least not laser etched ones). I know that any scratch I get on this razor from now until whenever can be polished out. I also have a mirror polished Game Changer top cap now too. It's a skill I am glad I have.
The Diamondback was my first attempt, but if it were "sold out", I would have started with a less dear razor.
DETAILS:
I started with 30 micron lapping film laid on a hard flat surface and kept wet. This is about 600 grit, and I think wet sand paper would have worked. I focused on the top of the cap. I didn't want to change the clamping area at. The key with all of the grits, but especially this most coarse one and especially with the top of the top cap, is to get rid of "all" of the "lines" and grooves left by the previous step while removing as little metal as possible. The reason I went with a flat surface was in hopes of removing the top of imperfections without removing anything from the bottom of valleys of the machine grooves. I was afraid setting the lapping film on a soft surface (or going straight to some sort of rotating felt buffing device) would have removed material from the high and low points too equally. I used a razor handle to hold the cap. Be careful not to "sharpen" the edges of the cap.
Because the machining grooves went over the top of the cap the short direction, my initial pass with 30 micron was length wise (so the scratches would be in different directions. . . so I could tell when the previous scratches were gone). This was not ideal on the hard surface, because it was hard to get perfect rounding, but I did my best to keep even removal. This was so scary (and weirdly beautiful). The patterns were striking. I kept doing this until all of the lines (micro scratches) were going the long direction and the lines in the direction of the machine marks were gone.
Then with the same 30 micron, I switched directions to going over the top the short direction (rocking the top cap through the stroke) to get the rounding perfect again without sharpening an edge). It is very important to go slow and be careful (and it helped to know the mirror polished DB's were still in stock if I had to buy a replacement as a safety net).
I then put a mouse pad under the lapping film, and cleaned up some of the other surfaces (like the handle, and a little on the safety bar). Maybe very flexible sanding material would have been handy for this, but I didn't have any.
I repeated with 12 micron (roughly 1200 grit). I didn't use any more lapping film on anything but the top of the top cap. I wanted the safety bar a little rough to add skin stretching (this is how my Diamondback is better than the 2020 Diamondback
). I also wanted to leave the handle with a little extra roughness for grip. I used a Jewelers Loupe to see the micro scratch directions to know when to change directions or grits.For the top cap, I used 9 micron (1800 grit), 3 micron (8,000 grit), and then 1 micron (14,000 grit) lapping film. Here it was mainly by feel. The razor head fought each new grit at first, then smoothed out as the old scratches were removed.
This whole process was about 2 hours. I then spent about an hour rubbing down the whole thing with Blue Magic metal polish. No motorized instruments used--all by hand.
THIS IS WHY I AM NOT WANTING ANDY TO ADD LOGOS (at least not laser etched ones). I know that any scratch I get on this razor from now until whenever can be polished out. I also have a mirror polished Game Changer top cap now too. It's a skill I am glad I have.
The Diamondback was my first attempt, but if it were "sold out", I would have started with a less dear razor.
Member
My Inaugural Shave Report:
At first, I was looking at the Diamondback and realized how well engineered this razor is. The mirror like polish makes it really beautiful and pictures don’t do it justice. The top cap shows reflections perfectly. Ladies and gents it shaves as good as it looks. To me the polishing is on par with Wolfman. Absolutely beautiful handle, true work of art. I actually really like that they’re isn’t any logos on the razor, gives it a minimalist look which I prefer.
On to the shave, after 48hrs growth and IT was really Epic. Wtx was an absolute delight. The DB shaves so precise without any blade feel whatsoever. My favorite part, like my Wolfmans (1.15, 1.25/1.45) is that it is extremely efficient without the cost of being harsh. Thus giving a wonderful irritation free shave without any cuts weepers. All in all, first pass was extremely smooth, and to my skin a true pleasure.
2nd pass ,Across the Grain was again very intuitive and I felt like I was on cruise control. “I knew what this Baby can do and I was going for it!” I zoomed with this pass, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Perfect pass, Andy hit this Paradigm DB out of the park. I knew that I didn’t need a 3rd pass BUT I read so many posts praising this razors capability of going AGAINST The Grain. I can confirm that it’s true, absolutely the smoothest of the smooth, I couldn’t believe the glide. I am extremely happy with Andy ‘s customer service As I am with the shave.
GEAR USED:
Paradigm Diamondback / Nacet (2) / Talbot Edison Lake / Thayers Rose WH / Speick Aftershave
At first, I was looking at the Diamondback and realized how well engineered this razor is. The mirror like polish makes it really beautiful and pictures don’t do it justice. The top cap shows reflections perfectly. Ladies and gents it shaves as good as it looks. To me the polishing is on par with Wolfman. Absolutely beautiful handle, true work of art. I actually really like that they’re isn’t any logos on the razor, gives it a minimalist look which I prefer.
On to the shave, after 48hrs growth and IT was really Epic. Wtx was an absolute delight. The DB shaves so precise without any blade feel whatsoever. My favorite part, like my Wolfmans (1.15, 1.25/1.45) is that it is extremely efficient without the cost of being harsh. Thus giving a wonderful irritation free shave without any cuts weepers. All in all, first pass was extremely smooth, and to my skin a true pleasure.
2nd pass ,Across the Grain was again very intuitive and I felt like I was on cruise control. “I knew what this Baby can do and I was going for it!” I zoomed with this pass, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Perfect pass, Andy hit this Paradigm DB out of the park. I knew that I didn’t need a 3rd pass BUT I read so many posts praising this razors capability of going AGAINST The Grain. I can confirm that it’s true, absolutely the smoothest of the smooth, I couldn’t believe the glide. I am extremely happy with Andy ‘s customer service As I am with the shave.
GEAR USED:
Paradigm Diamondback / Nacet (2) / Talbot Edison Lake / Thayers Rose WH / Speick Aftershave
Member
(04-30-2020, 01:06 AM)I Calm_Shaver Wrote:
EPIC SHAVE!! Review coming later tonight. Excellent customer service Andy. By going above and beyond with your Customer Service you made this Customer over here very happy. Absolutely world class razor. Andy kept open communication with me, answered all my questions and reassured me that at the end of the day I will be a Happy Shaver!
Awesome Pic!
![[Image: cd4427bd457311f1484d444191e2f9d0.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200430/cd4427bd457311f1484d444191e2f9d0.jpg)
Member
I own a Diamondback from the first release through WCS last year. I was happy that the razor I got not suffered from major quality issues like so many others. IMO the Diamondback is a great Razor. Good to see that the inconsistent quality from the first batch has improved. Does anyone know if the current offered razors have the same geometry like the 2019 models?
Regards Marco
Regards Marco
Users browsing this thread: