Hi all, long time no see! Just thought I would jump in and offer some thoughts.
First off, thanks to Mike for organizing the pass around, thanks to those of you who have thoughtfully posted reviews, and thanks in advance to those yet to receive the razor.
Something I wanted to stress, in case anybody perusing this thread has lingering doubts: the razor is available and shipping. Your choice of finishes, polished or satin. Both are done by me in Brooklyn, NY. If you prefer a razor that won't gather finger prints or show scratches easily, consider satin. It's really very nice, uniform and bright, not "matte." I'm doing the razors by hand with buffing wheels, including the satin: they are not in a factory finish.
The razor was designed to punch above its weight in view of the modest gap of .7mm and exposure of .12mm, yet still remain smooth and manageable. I've been shaving with it for months now, and for me it makes a fine daily driver. It's efficient in all passes, but especially ATG. Many people will find they can do a good job in two passes, WTG and ATG, with maybe a bit of cleanup. As with any safety razor, use light pressure. This is particularly true for the Salient, which has a thin head. This makes it maneuverable, but there is little surface area in contact with the face, hence greater pressure per unit area compared with some other razors. Take some time to get to know it, stay light, and be rewarded with an uncanny BBS.
The handle has generated a degree of controversy. The design brief was primarily for ergonomics. The grooves provide a secure grip with even soapy hands, and the burden of weight is in the handle, where it belongs IMO. Aesthetically, it has a rugged, industrial design. It doesn't feature the Art Deco feel of previous Paradigm razors, but those handles required milling operations as well as turning on a lathe.
One more thing, and I gotta say it, even though it's outside the four corners of this thread: I'm thinking quite seriously of re-releasing the Diamondback in titanium. This would be American manufacture. I think the Diamondback would be great in Ti, lighter and smoother both -- and that's already a very smooth razor. All those in favor, say "aye."
Order the Salient razor with confidence. Your order will ship promptly, and as always, there's an ironclad 30 day money back guarantee. GD chamomile/lemon soaps in the Kairos base are also available. It's a great scent, and for a limited time, you can order a razor and a soap and receive ten percent off. It's no secret that the rollout here was rocky, and I'm deeply grateful to those who waited patiently for razors. Rest assured that all back orders have been fulfilled.
That's all, folks, at least for now. I'm looking forward to being part of the discussion again! Come pay us a visit at paradigmshaveware.com.
First off, thanks to Mike for organizing the pass around, thanks to those of you who have thoughtfully posted reviews, and thanks in advance to those yet to receive the razor.
Something I wanted to stress, in case anybody perusing this thread has lingering doubts: the razor is available and shipping. Your choice of finishes, polished or satin. Both are done by me in Brooklyn, NY. If you prefer a razor that won't gather finger prints or show scratches easily, consider satin. It's really very nice, uniform and bright, not "matte." I'm doing the razors by hand with buffing wheels, including the satin: they are not in a factory finish.
The razor was designed to punch above its weight in view of the modest gap of .7mm and exposure of .12mm, yet still remain smooth and manageable. I've been shaving with it for months now, and for me it makes a fine daily driver. It's efficient in all passes, but especially ATG. Many people will find they can do a good job in two passes, WTG and ATG, with maybe a bit of cleanup. As with any safety razor, use light pressure. This is particularly true for the Salient, which has a thin head. This makes it maneuverable, but there is little surface area in contact with the face, hence greater pressure per unit area compared with some other razors. Take some time to get to know it, stay light, and be rewarded with an uncanny BBS.
The handle has generated a degree of controversy. The design brief was primarily for ergonomics. The grooves provide a secure grip with even soapy hands, and the burden of weight is in the handle, where it belongs IMO. Aesthetically, it has a rugged, industrial design. It doesn't feature the Art Deco feel of previous Paradigm razors, but those handles required milling operations as well as turning on a lathe.
One more thing, and I gotta say it, even though it's outside the four corners of this thread: I'm thinking quite seriously of re-releasing the Diamondback in titanium. This would be American manufacture. I think the Diamondback would be great in Ti, lighter and smoother both -- and that's already a very smooth razor. All those in favor, say "aye."
Order the Salient razor with confidence. Your order will ship promptly, and as always, there's an ironclad 30 day money back guarantee. GD chamomile/lemon soaps in the Kairos base are also available. It's a great scent, and for a limited time, you can order a razor and a soap and receive ten percent off. It's no secret that the rollout here was rocky, and I'm deeply grateful to those who waited patiently for razors. Rest assured that all back orders have been fulfilled.
That's all, folks, at least for now. I'm looking forward to being part of the discussion again! Come pay us a visit at paradigmshaveware.com.