My last post described replacement of the HWH touchpad due to wear and tear. I mentioned poor contact when depressing various functions on the touchpad. At the time, I thought the flexible plastic cover had copper contacts bonded underneath that would create a contact point between two points on the board to complete a circuit for operation.

I decided to dissect the old unit before I disposed of it. I found the flexible plastic cover was just that – a cover. No electrical function of the cover and no copper contacts. What it really has are mini-switches on the printed circuit board (PCB). These mini-switches are normally open, spring-loaded momentary switches. They have a post extending from the switch to the cover – this post acts as a pushrod.

There are 11 of these switches to activate different circuits. When you press the touchpad cover with your finger tip, it flexes downward and depresses the pushrod to close the switch and complete the circuit. When you release your finger tip, the light spring in the switch opens the switch and the circuit is de-activated. Seeing how this works, I can understand how light of a touch is needed – pressing too hard will create wear and tear on the cover and switch. My curiosity is satisfied and I’ll dispose of the old parts.

Those of you who know or have met me, know that I shave my head and most of my face. Back when I was in the corporate world, this was a daily routine. Gillette would periodically send me a new sample razor with their latest whiz-bang blade. I think it started with the Mach Three blade, then a series of blades called Fusion. After I retired, I started shaving every other day. I then realized just how expensive these whiz-bang blades were.

Gillette’s business model was to give away a free sample handle for the latest blades. Then they would make their profit off blade sales – much like a printer that can be bought at what seems to be a bargain price requires spending a lot of money on replacement ink cartridges.

So, I looked around on the Internet and found razors made by a company called Dorco. They had a variety of blades and offered a sample pack that included a handle and blades ranging from a three-blade cartridge up to a six-blade one. I found the six-blade cartridge worked well and shaving every other day, I could get two weeks out of a blade. Ordering direct online, they were much less money than a comparable Gillette blade.

A couple of years ago, I noticed the quality of the Dorco blades seemed to be slipping. The blades wouldn’t shave as cleanly after four or five uses and it was a stretch to get seven shaves, which I do in a two-week period. Then Dorco quit selling direct online. I still found their blades at Amazon, but I wasn’t very satisfied with them. Then I read that Gillette had sued Dorco for patent infringement – this led to a change in the Dorco blades.

A few weeks ago, I was shopping at Walmart and I saw a starter pack of Dollar Shave Club (DSC) blades with a handle. I bought it. I started using it a few weeks ago – it’s a six-blade cartridge and I’m impressed with it. The first cartridge gave me 10 shaves before needing to be replaced. The thing is, for me, DSC’s business model is a hassle. They sell replacement blades by subscription. You have to join and tell them how often and how many blades you want shipped and they will automatically refill your order. We’re not always at the same address and it doesn’t make sense to me to have them shipped to our mailing address in South Dakota, then pay to have them forwarded.

So I did a little more searching for a razor blade solution. I found Harry’s. They offer quality blades made at their exclusive factory in Germany and you can order on demand or subscribe. Then I read on their website that they do not recommend using their blades to shave your head. I also found some reviews where head shavers said Harry’s blade created nicks and cuts on their head – one guy said it cut a strip like potato peeler! Harry’s was out for me.

Then I found a company called Defender. Reviewers raved about it – including head shavers. These blades are made in Israel and take a different approach. They say there’s no need for six-blade cartridges, three are sufficient. They submit the blade angle, spacing and design of the cartridge are key as well as the ability to easily rinse the blade to remove shaving debris and prevent clogging. They offer replacement blades on demand or by subscription. They had an introductory sample with a handle and one blade for $5.95 with free shipping. Replacement blades run about $2 each in packs of four with free shipping. I ordered one.

So, I’ve started an experiment. So far, I’ve used each cartridge one time. I’ll alternate razors over the next few weeks so I can have back-to-back comparisons of how well they shave over time. I think this is better than using one for a couple of weeks, then switching to the other to try and remember how they compare. I’ll post my final opinion at some point.

Donna and I have been going at it hard on the pickleball courts. After playing five straight days last week, we took the weekend off. I played three days this week so far – Donna skipped yesterday to play tennis. We’ll start round-robin play next Monday and I’ll begin coaching intermediate players next Wednesday.

As predicted, the weather has cooled from the high 80s – low 90s we had last week to upper 70s yesterday. The thermometer is forecast to only reach around 70 degrees for the next week. Very comfortable temperatures but it cools quickly once the sun sets. We can expect overnight lows hovering around 40-45 degrees in the coming week.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

*Just so you know, if you use this link to shop on Amazon and decide to purchase anything, you pay the same price as usual and  I’ll earn a few pennies for the referral. It’ll go into the beer fund. Thanks!