Norelco may be an Autodesk customer. So perhaps I am biting the hand feeds me? But here goes: Newer is not better!

I have been using an electric shaver for the last 20 years. I have been through a few of them. The one I have now is several years old:

Figuring that blades have dulled over time, I thought I would replace them. So I searched for them via the web and found a replacement.

They attached to my new razor just fine:

I have been using the replacement blades for a short while. My problem is that newer is not better in more than one way.

The new ones are harder to clean. Note how the old blades can be easily rinsed by simply flipping open the head.

The new one requires that the head be removed, rinsed, and carefully snapped back into place.

Cleaning aside, the real problem is that the new blades do not shave as closely. Here I am before shaving (This is about 5:00 am).

As an experiment, I shaved one side of my face with the old blades (left) and the other side of my face (right) with the new blades. In the morning, both sides looked about the same.

However, at the end of the work day, clearly the old blades had shaven closer. Here I am at the end of the day (This is about 5:00 pm).

You can see more stumble on the side shaven with the new blades. Since the purpose of a razor is to shave, the new blades are not better. I have tried this experiment four times, alternating face sides. I am only blogging about it once.

In doing some research for this blog article, I found one reviewer who noted:

Philips Consumer Lifestyle (U.S. vendor for Norelco shavers) should continue to make BOTH the original RQ12/52 and their newer head RQ12+ (or RQ12/62) available for users of SensoTouch 3D.

Many careful users of the superbly made SensoTouch 3D top-of-the-line 1290x find that the original RQ12/52 head GLIDES MORE SMOOTHLY (especially over sensitive neck areas) and has LESS PULLING or TUGGING than the new replacement head. I have carefully evaluated both heads on the 1290x, and that is also my conclusion.

Also note that the original RQ12/52 had THREE tracks in each of the three circular heads (including the tiny holes in the center track for stubble). The new RQ12+ has only TWO tracks in each of the three circular heads, including the new V-channel outer track. There is no inner track of tiny holes for stubble.

I wonder if Norelco uses Fusion 360 to design their razors?

Fusion 360 combines parametric and direct modeling with analysis and simulation in the same environment. Norelco could design the blades and then run a simulation to reveal that "Hey, this won't shave Scott's face as closely." :-)

Lamenting the opposite of progress in product design is alive in the lab.