Russian (Russia) 
English (United Kingdom) While I was writing the Muehle Rocco razor review, I received a YAQI Tachi razor with a YAQI Tsuka handle. I only shave with blades once, except for the Japanese Feather blades, which I use three times.
This single-use approach is based on several factors: 1) hygiene concerns; 2) shaving with most razors ends poorly—either the second time, the blades don't cut well or they rip your face, causing irritation. Feather razors start shaving perfectly on the second try, but on the fifth, they still rip your face. Each user's blade usage pattern may vary depending on their stubble, skin type, shaving soap, and razor.
So I thought that it would be a good idea to use half a standard blade for the sake of saving money when using single-use blades.
I checked the prices on the marketplace. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the prices for blade halves were almost the same as for standard double-sided blades. However, I decided to try breaking the standard double-sided blades to use the half blade. This is what they did in the USSR when they shared scarce imported Schick blades.
I saw a YouTube video of a Russian-speaking author from New York using a YAQI Tachi razor and a YAQI Tsuka handle. I was hooked. I decided to check the manufacturer's price. The price for this set was the same as the original German Merkur razor. The seller's reviews were split between being 50 / 50 soft and terribly aggressive. Not knowing whether this razor would suit me, I didn't want to buy a new one at full price. Luckily, I found a used razor on Avito with exactly this set, along with two packs of single-edged Turkish Perma Sharp blades.
The YAQI Tachi, like the YAQI Tsuka pen, is one of those products that's hard to judge from photos and videos. Only when you pick it up does your heart say, "WOW."
The YAQI Tsuka handle is short at 86 millimeters, but it's so perfectly crafted that it fits perfectly in the hand and is extremely comfortable, measuring 13 millimeters across at its widest points. The sensation of your hand along these smooth curves is impossible to convey in a photo. The feeling of a perfect waist is the closest epithet to this shape. And don't let this gracefulness fool you—its weight contributes to the precise balance of the razor and its stainless steel head, weighing 65 grams, as it's crafted from 303 stainless steel.
This handle perfectly matches the equally graceful head of the YAQI Tachi - they seem to be made for each other.
Head with closed comb and three foam outlet holes.
The plates are thicker than some standard-sized razor plates. This ensures the required weight, prevents warping, and provides a secure feel.
I deliberately didn't rinse the razor before the shoot, so it would be clear that simply rinsing the razor isn't enough. You need to rinse the razor with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Three pins and two ledges on the top plate make the blade half easy to install.
The photo clearly shows that the machine was manufactured on a CNC machine, and that's good. It's possible the blanks were made using powder metallurgy, but finished on a CNC machine. Why do I always emphasize this? When manufacturing parts entirely using powder metallurgy, it's unknown what's inside the parts; there are pores or voids within the parts. And, in general, I can actually feel the difference between parts made using powder metallurgy and those made using milling.
The connection between the plates is made perfectly; there is no play here, as with Parker razors.
The carving on the top plate is done just perfectly.
Even this detail has been thought through: when the blade is broken in half, bends in the metal remain on the edges of the blade, so that this does not affect the positioning of the blade on the bottom plate; a recess with a border has been made.
After installing the blade, its reach seems very long, but when you start shaving, you're surprised by how soft this razor is. Nevertheless, the razor is musical and shaves well. I get tired of shaving with soft razors because I have to go over the same spot repeatedly due to the coarse stubble on my face.
Shaves your head perfectly, no need for more or less aggression.
I try not to shave with the same razor two days in a row for hygiene reasons, but my body and soul crave YAQI Tachi.
The razor is perfect for daily shaving in the DFS - you don't have to go around with a porcupine-like beard, but you also don't injure your skin every day, like you do with the BBS.