Sabi Gen 1 DE Razor

Today I stumbled upon the Sabi selling for $7.99 at shaveabuck.com. (I had never heard of it until 10 minutes ago.) It sounds like I shouldn't even buy it at $1, though.

I guess that's what happen when you see: made in Pakistan:9898:

I tried this razor for the first time this afternoon. Please bear in mind this was my first DE shave ever so there is also probably some lack of technique to the shave. Michiganlover was gracious enough to provide this in the PIF contest and so I am hence writing a review.

Overall Construction:
The head of the razor seems to be the weak link in the design. The blade sits slightly off center and the locking mechanisms do not come apply pressure to the blade evenly.

The handle seems to be assembled well up until the screw mechanism that locks down the blade locks. I found it difficult to turn and was uneven in the torque required to turn. This could be due to the uneven locking mechanisms. I did like the brass look of the razor. It is also rather heavy, even though I don't have anything to compare it to. I did enjoy the rather long handle which made it very easy to get a good grip on the razor. The grooves in the handle instill confidence that it won't slip out of your fingers.

The Shave:
I did not notice any issues with the shave. I was able to effectively remove the 3 day growth without any issues. It should be noted, I have a very sparse beard that is primarily concentrated around the chin. I was able to achieve a shave similar to what I get with a 2 bladed disposable in one pass with this razor. Only a few bloody spots afterwards which I attribute to mild acne at those sites.

My face basically felt the same as when I had used a disposable after the shave. My skin was not irritated and felt smooth when going with the grain.

Thin metal doors with a sloppy opening mechanism and crooked blade seating. This thing is pure crap on a stick. I got 2 shaves and then the door fell off when I was changing the blade, so here is my review.

Price (0) : anything more than zero dollars is too much
Quality (0) : it falls apart
User Friendly (0) : it falls apart
Grip (9) : good grip
Ease of replacement (0) : not too easy without a door
Aggressiveness (5) : mild shaver
Adjustability (0) : not adjustable
Balance (0) : it didn't land the way I wanted it when I threw it in the trash, so the balance was off.

I really wanted to like this razor. I acquired it from Shaveabuck for an intro special of $9.95, price is now $14.95.

The razor is of solid brass construction, which is certainly unique in the modern day razor market.

The overall construction closely follows the build style of a Gillette Knack, but unfortunately is very shoddy at best.

The punched out parts of the razor have jagged edges, and the TTO doors are uneven, with one locking down more, than the other. The TTO mechanism seems extremely loose, and rattles when open.

The uneven doors mean that the blade is not evenly curved when the full pressure of the doors is applied.

The razor seemed to shave fine, but I certainly can't recommend it. The Ming Shi, and Weishi are both at a similar price point, and don't suffer from this level of shoddy construction.

Further discussion of this razor can be found here:

Sabi Gen DE Razor made in Pakistan.