Paradigm 2020 Diamondback

Andy what are your thoughts on what seems to be increased popularity of razors that clamp the blade firmly from both sides as opposed to heads that rely more on bending the blade to create stiffness? It looks like the DB has more blade clamping than previous Paradigm razors but not quite at full support. What was your goal with blade support on the DB?

Like many of you I recently obtained my 2020 Paradigm Diamondback and have had a stellar experience. First off I am a big fan on Andy and his Paradigm Shaveware offerings over the years and have been fortunate to either buy or use all of his prior official releases. As a group they tend to be of exotic metals (all titanium and a 17-4 stainless steel), higher priced and of limited (50-200 units) production runs. They also cover the blade tabs, a personal preference of mine, and sport some sort of diamond pattern/knurling on the handle but without any engraving, logo or (gimmicky) serial number. This release is mirror polished to the degree that is comparable to a Wolfman (the unofficial “gold standard”) – see ShaveMD pictures. They have been available off 3rd party websites and through his Paradigm website. He offers a generous return policy and provides excellent customer service and communicates with us wet shavers.

The Paradigm Diamondback is no exception in these traits with its prior siblings: the uber rare Titanium 1, the short handled heavier 17-4, the polished Titanium 2 and the polished (Artist Club) SE.

Whereas the Titanium 1 was considered too aggressive (at the time several years ago) the 17-4 and Ti2 were created for a less aggressive yet very efficient shave. Nevertheless Andy has produced exceptionally smooth razors that can hold their own with the smoothest of the smooths (check out Dragonsbeard Smoothest Shave Off on that other board that removed most of the posts). The SE is a different razor entirely (accepting Artist Club blades with a creative slide off cap) and is very mild yet exceptionally smooth so I am not comparing it here to the other releases.

So how does this polished 303 stainless Diamondback work ? The short answer is that it is a spectacular smooth, efficient and beautiful tool !

MANEUVERABILITY: This is a heavy three-piece 303 stainless razor at 114 gm but it is extremely well balanced making it very manageable and maneuverable feeling nimble like a sub 100 gm razor – I did not notice the heft while shaving. Furthermore the way the blade tabs are covered does not give the head that large bulky feeling like on a Tradere or Merkur Futur/Vision. One is able to easily get into those sharp “under the nose” corners. The characteristic triangular Paradigm patterns of the 90 mm (3.5“) handle allows for a secure grip even with wet hands.

SMOOTHNESS: A strength of Paradigm’s prior releases has been the smoothness of the shave and the Diamondback is no exception. Andy doesn’t publish much regarding the specs of his razors but the near “phantom” feel (even ATG) of the razor suggests a neutral blade or minimally positive exposure. It’s just smooth without the intrinsic smoothness of Titanium and this is in a Stainless Steel razor. It is just a super comfortable shave easily comparable to the now discontinued Raw Shaving RS10. It is as smooth as his prior Titanium releases with the differences between any of them in my opinion to be “a whisker” if at all.

EFFICIENCY: This 2020 polished Diamondback can cut your beard with efficiency and a 2 pass shave works well for me yielding an extended (8 hour) BBS/DFS quality result. Andy states the blade gap of 0.8 mm but we all know the exposure, angle, guard thickness and user skill all factor in. Although others have commented on the blade angle needing some dialing in for the optimal result I had no difficulty finding a good plane of attack and, as noted above, the weight is so well balanced that I did not find the razor “heavy”.  I was able to easily get efficient shaves (using Personna Red, Polsilver and GSB blades) with nearly no blade feel yielding smooth results with only 2 passes.

PROS: 1. A great combination of smoothness and efficiency with long lasting results.
2. Although weighty at 114 gm it is so well balanced it handles like a much lighter razor.
3. The blade tabs are covered (I prefer) without the head being too large or bulky.
4. A true mirror polish.
5. Excellent customer service with a generous return policy.

CONS: 1. Some may not be able to justify the $240 price.
2. Unfortunately another Paradigm limited run – he needs to have a steady run available.
3. Still no engraving/branding of the Paradigm razors or complementary accessories.

OVERALL this is a great razor because of its extreme smoothness and efficiency. After the first pass I was unsure if I cut very much of my beard as it was that smooth. Other than the additional weight compared to the Titanium (Ti2) razor (70 gm) this Stainless Diamondback “felt” like his prior Titanium releases. It does not feel aggressive or harsh but provides a very smooth yet efficient shave. Like others I am enjoying this 2020 Diamondback and can’t wait for a Titanium (Javelin) version or Paradigm’s next release – maybe an even more aggressive tool beyond what was provided with the original Ti1 as we can handle it.

AJSharp Excellent summation of your DB experience Thank You

AJSharp

Excellent detailed review!

Wonderful review AJSharp . Your impressions and detailed review on the Diamondback are spot on. It is definitely in the Wolfman class imo, in both performance and looks. Andy is a very inspired and ambitious razor artisan who is always looking to improve on his razor designs. I am not surprised that as of this morning, the Diamondback 2020 has Sold Out. I am sure the Diamondback won’t disappoint and it is worth it if it shaves as smooth as RS-10 or Wolfman. Thanks for the time you put into this review and also comparing past iterations of Paradigm razors AJSharp

Took my Diamondback on its maiden voyage this morning. Initial impressions are that it’s a very smooth and plenty efficient razor for me. I’m a daily shaver and two passes was plenty to be smooth and comfortable. With a little touch up, I got a wonderful, irritation free, shave. As mentioned above by others, the heft helps stabilize the razor and something that I’ve definitely come to appreciate. The razor does all the work. I loaded it with a new Wizamet and I’ll be interested to see how the razor continues to perform as the Wizamet smooths out as well as how the razor works with other blades.

I don't know what else I can say that hasn't been said already. I think the reviews here have been spot on. I think this is one of the best razors out there. I judge razors by their smoothness/efficiency ratio. The smoothest razor I've ever used is the RS-10 and the most efficient is the 1.55 WR2. The DB is a nice hybrid of the two. Smoothness comes close to the RS-10 and efficiency comes close to the 1.55, therefore making it one of the best overall razors I've used. Add to that beautiful aesthetics, reasonable price, great customer service and this razor is seriously a no-brainer. I can see the 2020 DB reaching legendary status in the future, maybe even more so than Andy's past offerings. I also agree with Mark in that a Ti version of this doesn't really interest me as this one is already perfect. And while it's heavy on paper, it really doesn't feel heavy when you're using it. Thanks to Mark for taking one for the team as usual by buying a new (newish in this case) razor.

Looking forward to the Javelin!

I suppose both can be good designs. You will get increased stiffness from bending the blade, but you have to have good bevels to hold it firm IMO.

Well, what I had on hand is sold out. I have some others in reserve that need polishing, so if you still want one, hang in there. They should be up by Monday.

I can't say enough about the quality of reviews and commentary here and what a difference it has made in helping others understand the razor and how it shaves. Just thank you all ... a lot.

shaveSymptomatic You summarized it beautifully as the Diamondback is indeed smooth (for me) similar to the RS10 and efficient like WR2 145. Also it’s heavy weight “punches done” allowing it to perform like a lighter razor because it is so well balanced. Yes it’s polished like no other except a Wolfman and Paradigm customer service is excellent. It’s priced similar to a Timeless and CG and well worth it for what it provides.

I think the Diamondback works great in steel whereas a lighter Titanium or Aluminum would not work as well - one may feel the urge to press to enhance efficiency and possibly cause skin irritation. The Diamondback works as Stainless Steel better than the Ti2 worked in Titanium. Now a more efficient version known as the Javelin in Titanium would be a whole other issue which I would also be interested in.

Now Andy knows how to make smooth razors. He knows how to make well balanced razors out of several metals (DB and 17-4 are outstanding examples). He knows how to make Titanium razors. Andy please feel free to up the efficiency as the Ti1 was not super aggressive by any metric. And one more thing your SE although beautiful and innovative was way too mild and the action really is in DE razors (just check the boards). I can’t wait for what’s next !