Hi Mark
I also took the HP-CS after a Badger100GXF, yes the Badger Hose is less than half the Iwata one: what I reccomend is the "Iwata Cobra Hose": fantastic, a bit expencive just for a hose but the best so far I tried after 20 years of Badger: it's very soft, confortable and allow any moove, and at least have a coo multicolor design.
Manteinhance: this kind of airbrush isn't really easy to clean perfcty, seem a bit of color flush ever back, and when you re-install the cleaned pin, re-flush in the cup. Since the HP-CS is all stainless-steel I'm used to pull back th pin, clean it, remove gaskets (black kind, not nylon, good to hard stuff) and put on a nitro (toluene) solvent for few hours. I know people don't like this but I done it everytime and I've my Iwata ever in good conditions and ready to spray
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