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Sabi T2 razor review, I was surprised, same head as the Mariner razor?

I bought a Sabi T2 razor from Joe http://shaveabuck.com/sabi-t2-three-piece-razor-p-671.html last week. I was looking mostly for a heavy short, around 3 inch handle, that would fit most of my razors. I was not looking for a new head and was very surprised at what I got. I am a dedicated open comb and aggressive razor user. I have dropped most of Gillette TTO from the rotation except for the occasional red tip use. I very often use my R41, single ring, barbasol, french open combs, big fellow old type, new improved, as well as an occasional gillette new. So you can see from my selection of razors that I like some bite to my razors. I have a relatively dense thick dark beard and could shave twice a day. The R41 is the only razor that keeps my face smooth for nearly 12 hrs.

So on to the Sabi T2. The handle is very hefty, well made with very nice plating. It appears to be nickel plated brass, not pot metal. The handle itself is 72g and the whole razor 102g. Pretty darn heavy, most of my razors come in around 70g. The head appears to be the same as the New York Shaving Company Mariner razor, maybe someone can confirm this by looking at the pics, it does weigh 30g alone. The plating on the cap is nice, on the base it is matte similar to the mariner from what I have seen.

The shave was much more efficient then I would have thought. I was expecting something similar to a tech or DE89, but it was more similar to a FaTip or new improved. Definitely less aggressive then the R41 but still very efficient and comfortable. I could feel less blade then I typically feel with the R41 or old type heads.

I think this razor would really be enjoyed by those looking for something slightly less aggressive then the R41. It is still very efficient but requires less attention and is more comfortable. The handle is a great value alone.

The R41 is on the left in all the pics with 2 razors, the Sabi T2 in all other pics.

$Sabi1.jpg$Sabi2.jpg$Sabi5.jpg$Sabi6.jpg$Sabi8.jpg

Aaron
 
Thanks for the review. Sabi is one of those brands I have never really given a second look to. I am glad to see the hefty weight of the handle and what appears to be very nice head design.

Like you I have mostly put my TTOs down, as I get a much better shave with my three piece heads. Currently the 2011 Mühle R41 is leading the pack, followed closely by the 2010 model, the Merkur 1904 OC, the Parker 97R and my NEWs.
 
Most vendors get their items from the same few trusted suppliers. When it comes to razors there is an even more limited supply of good quality ones out there. In the end it is how they are marketed which gives the impression people may have.
 
I have spent the better part of the night reading up and looking at the razors from Sabi and NYSC, and I see no difference between the Mariner 3 piece head, and the ones found on the Sabi models.

Thanks to this thread I am going to order the T3 for myself, as it is identical to the Stouty for half the cost! It appears to be he same OEM manufacturer, so why pay double the price for a pretty box? Not worth it to me.

Noticed a lot of other great buys on their site. Keeping it in my razor book marks.

Going to check with my brother which one he wants, I am guessing the T2.

Thanks again for he review, from the pics the quality looks as good as Merkur.
 
3rd shave today with the Sabi T2. Still enjoying it. Its a break from the most aggressive razors made but is still efficient. I still can't believe the weight and width of the handle, this handle may be used on all my DEs from now on.

Aaron
 
Come payday I am ordering two, they are just too good of a deal to pass up. I love the handles on both the T2 and T3.
 
The handle really looks like a copy of my BRW Bull Mastiff Deluxe. I'm interested to order one, but I wouldn't really need additional handle (BRW and Tradere handles are more than enough for me) :D
 
With all the love the Mariner is getting, would love to try the Sabi....same head and a awesome looking handle!.....it's like being a handle, and getting the head for free!!

I love aggressive razors, so this will be nice addition to my rotation.....after going through Joe's website...some great deals!
 
ok,
i just pulled the trogger on the T2. I reaally like the thicker, shorter handles.

Does anyone have an idea how the T2 shave compares to the HD?
 
That T2 and T3 do look nice! T3 is 130 grams! but the short handle should make it mighty nice I guess.

These have to be the best deals going.
 
I just ordered the T3, will order the T2 and the chrome brush..

I think that they will look so awesome together, I even shooped an image together of my soon to be had Sabi Collection
 
Just went to check these out. It looks like they are out of the T1 & T2s. Hope that's temporary. I was planning to order them.
 
I received a Sabi T1 last week, and boy what a fortnight it's been: This razor has one of the best handles currently in production and a head which offers a closer, smoother shave than the standard Merkur (with one significant caveat) at a fraction of the price.

The Sabi T1 handle is a big handle lovers fantasy -- big, brash, bold, beautiful, fat, heavy, long, dazzlingly chrome plated brass and a handful of serious, deliciously knurled meister-tool. This is the razor's greatest strength: a titanic handle which seems inspired by, and can compete with any (most obviously the Ikon Bulldog), at a fraction of the cost. It's probably one of if not the best razor handle values on the market today.


Inspired by the Merkur, the Sabi head answers that razor's most common dissatisfaction: the Sabi provides just enough more blade exposure to be more efficient and provide a clearer sense of blade on the face, which offers a more aware, thus better controlled, closer, smoother, and more satisfying shave.

The Sabi razor head's flaws are those which many may not notice, and for the money, are tolerable: the ends of the head and the four corners of the safety bars are a bit rough. While the chrome plating is lush and glassy in most areas, on the ends of the razor head are still visible ridges which haven't been adequately ground smooth prior to plating. During manufacture, after removing a razor from the casts, workers break the razor parts from casting elements and then grind them smooth with a polishing stone and/or wire brush, sometimes further by tumbling. (see the process in this video, 1:44-2:00) The Sabi's smoothing needs more quality control. In normal use I rarely notice the razor ends, and on my razor it's less noticeable than in the photo, below. During most of my shave, the Sabi provides an excellent, smooth comfortable experience -- until I come to the across the grain pass on my neck, when suddenly I'm very aware that the pointy ends of the safety bars scritch the skin just enough to be slightly annoying (although they leave no marks).

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Photo from Shaveabuck clearly shows the less than ideal end finishing and pointy safety bar corners of the Sabi razor head.

Most of the time the corners of the safety bars don't come in contact with your face and certainly don't point directly into your skin. Those who don't happen to have my beard grain and anatomy, and who don't shave horizontally across the neck may not even notice the pointy safety bar corners. Overall the production quality of the head is good, with excellent finishing and chrome plating in most areas. In all other respects, except that one, the Sabi head provides me a better shave than the standard Merkur. In that location on that pass, those safety bar points are annoying.

When I asked the proprietor of Shaveabuck, about the safety bar corners, he responded that he's heard similar complaints from a couple of buyers, and that those with particularly sensitive skin or particular facial features may be more susceptible, yet he's sold over a hundred. He also mentions that since they're made overseas there's not much he can do except mention it for the next order. I don't have sensitive skin, nor, I think, such a distinctively shaped face. Perhaps that's just the level of quality control available at that price.

Nonetheless, having an overall superior performance from the Sabi enabled me to PIF my Merkur 180 to my teenage cousin to get him started on DE shaving -- but not my Cadet, which is still my favorite razor head. I got that based on the glowing (and accurate) reviews here on B&B and elsewhere, which described it as being a 75 on the aggressiveness scale, if the R41 is 90, and Gillette New and Merkur 1904 are perhaps a 50 (with which I concur). The Cadet OC head is very well designed and produced, providing my best shaves yet. It's my favorite, go to razor head, leaving nothing to be desired... except...

...a handle worthy of it: the Sabi T1! The combination of the Sabi T1 handle and Cadet OC head are visually stunning, high performance, high comfort, tremendously satisfying, and very cost-effective. I am very price sensitive, so this is my poor-man's deluxe razor at a fraction of the cost of the up-market brands such as Ikon Bulldog, Titan, Weber, etc. Wondering whether this is Shaveabuck's sales strategy: sell the excellent Cadet head separately from its ideal mate, the Sabi handle, so you need to buy both to have the killer combo, Shaveabuck's response was that the Cadet people want to sell their handles and might not appreciate it. While Shaveabuck asserts these are his razors by his company, the foregoing quality control issues, marketing restrictions and the fact that these heads are reported to be identical to those offered by other distributors, raises questions about how much control he actually has. Nevertheless, in my opinion, even at the price of both the Cadet and Sabi razors, I have yet to be able to find or assemble a better razor for the money.

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see Azarius' informative and consistent Sabi review here
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/287908-Sabi-T3-Review
 
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Both the T1 and T2 are a good bargain. I have the T1 and I believe that it is the same head that is used on the Mariner but I no longer have my Mariner to do a direct comparison.
 
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