Thread: Amplex Diamond Paste: Where and what grade to buy?

Where is the best (cheapest) place to buy Amplex Diamond Paste. I am planning to buy the .5 and .25 micron grades, but I am not sure if I should get the 1 or 3 micron as well. I am planning to buy a Norton 4K/8K and Thuringen in the near future, so would any of these grades of paste be redundant or unnecessary? My goal is to get the sharpest and most long lasting edge as possible.

I have a pasted paddle with 3, 1, 0.5 and 0.25µ pastes on it. Along with my norton 4k/8k it's really all I need. Usually I'll hone up on the 4k/8k and then move on to either 0.5µ chromium or 0.5µ then 0.25µ diamond. If handled properly, the process results in one sharp edge. The 1µ paste comes in handy occasionally. Usually for when an edge could use some work. The 3µ rarely gets used, usually if an edge requires that much work, I'll bring it back to the hones.

Thank you for your response. It seems like the .5 grade (diamond or chromium oxide) is what most people use to refresh a razor between honings on the Norton, or they use it to finish a razor after the Norton instead of using a coticle or other 10K-12K finishing stone. Some people seem to like the .25 and some seem to think it creates an edge that is too brittle and does not last as long. I am trying to figure out where the 1 micron and 3 micron would fit in to all this and if they are worth buying. Would they be used in place of the Norton?

No. If the blade requires more work on the Norton, rougher pastes won't do the trick.

I will often use the 3.0 micron if just a few passes are needed in order not to have to go the wet route with a Norton. You are unlikely to need anything more coarse although I used to use both 9.0 and 6.0 in place of a Norton. Every pre-honed razor I sold up until last spring was done entirely on pastes.


You will want to buy water based, standard concentration for the Amplex. There are asome less expensive ones from Russia out there but I have no expoerience with them and suspect that you get what you pay for. Less money, less diamonds would be my guess. I use only Amplex myself for diamond compounds.

I doublt you will find a better bargain than Classic offers. Their $16 to $19 a tube is well less than suggested retail so they are not getting rich on this stuff.

Tony

So would you say that the 3 micron is roughly equal to the 8K side of the Norton?

I feel it is. if you look in the gallery section of this site there is a chart showing Amplex Abrasive grit sizes and comparisons. Since Norton and Amplex are all part of the same parent company they are probably accurate figures.

Tony

Originally Posted by ToxIk

I have a pasted paddle with 3, 1, 0.5 and 0.25µ pastes on it. Along with my norton 4k/8k it's really all I need. Usually I'll hone up on the 4k/8k and then move on to either 0.5µ chromium or 0.5µ then 0.25µ diamond. If handled properly, the process results in one sharp edge. The 1µ paste comes in handy occasionally. Usually for when an edge could use some work. The 3µ rarely gets used, usually if an edge requires that much work, I'll bring it back to the hones.

That is pretty much what I do also. I have been very happy with it also.

Ted Pella - a surgical supply company has the cheapest prices going:

http://www.tedpella.com/polish.htm

Standard concentration and same colours as Amplex (I suspect they buy in bulk and repackage).

.25, .5 and 1 micron sell for $8.55 for 5g - 3 microns goes up to $18 - still cheaper then classicshaving.

I've bought the .25 and its exactly the same as far as I can tell.

The service is also terrific.