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.