Question for Braun Series 9 Owners: Head Orientation

[Brutus]

A question for those of you who use a Braun Series 9 regularly:

Do you care about your Series 9’s head orientation when you clip the shaving head back on?

The options are:
A) titanium coated (gold coloured) trimmer closer to the shaver’s front (ON/OFF switch).
B) titanium coated (gold coloured) trimmer closer to the shaver’s back (long hair trimmer).
C) it really does not matter, I can’t tell the difference anyway...

In reviews and in Braun documentation you see usually images of Option A), but Option B) appears as well - even in Braun documentation.
Braun apparently says it doesn’t make a difference, but some Series 9 owners allegedly claim that option B) gives a closer shave and I am curious whether there is a consensus on this.


I recently bought a Series 9 and found that my venerable Series 7 gives the Series 9 a good run for the money.
In fact; shaving wet with a Series 9 in the morning and halfway through a long working day, I have sometimes the impression that a Series 7 gives me a longer lasting (meaning closer) shave with less effort.

I am still experimenting the with Series’ 9 head position, but at this stage it’s too early to announce a verdict.



B.

 

[Scaramouche]

Actually, Option B (close to the back) seems to work better (for me, and other reviews support this). The reason is pretty logical - this puts the titanium flat cutter (designed to mow down longer hairs), just behind the finishing foil on the "push" stroke of the shaver (assuming you hold your shavers with the controls under your thumb - the "front"), rather than the "pull" stroke, which is (usually) weaker and puts the titanium cutter behind the standard flat cutter in the cutting sequence.

As a practical matter, it probably doesn't make a real difference, but the asymmetric cutters may serve one valuable purpose - the moving blades and the foil (or the metal comb in a rotary) "wear in" over time to each other, improving cutting efficiency. That's why rotary manufacturers emphasize the importance of matching up the rotating blades to the same comb after cleaning. You shave with the same rotating blade in the same comb every shave. And although Braun's cartridges are self-contained, meaning the integral cutters and foils (or cutting bars) don't change, having dissimilar cutters allows you to replace the head, from visual cues, in the same orientation every time you remove it. This may - or may not - make a difference in the way the cutters interact with their associated foils as you shave. In the world of rapidly moving metal parts, uniformity is a good thing. Maybe significantly, maybe not.

 

[Chevyguy]

I've never noticed a difference. I alway's get a smooth comfortable shave from my Series-9 regardless of the head orientation.

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[Flyboybob]

I agree with Chevyguy. I have a series 7 and I never paid any attention which direction I replace the cutter cassette after cleaning out the clippings every day. Both sides of the cassette have the label Series 7 and it doesn’t seem to make any difference in the shave.

 

[slybrewguy]

I also would typically set it up like option 'b' and agree with the logic behind it... Though it could be placebo. I also agree that overall my 7 worked 'better' then my 9, the head on the 9 is huge in my opinion and just doesn't want to grab those flat lying hairs as easily as the 7.

 

[Brutus]

Actually, Option B (close to the back) seems to work better (for me, and other reviews support this). The reason is pretty logical - this puts the titanium flat cutter (designed to mow down longer hairs), just behind the finishing foil on the "push" stroke of the shaver (assuming you hold your shavers with the controls under your thumb - the "front"), rather than the "pull" stroke, which is (usually) weaker and puts the titanium cutter behind the standard flat cutter in the cutting sequence.

As a practical matter, it probably doesn't make a real difference, but the asymmetric cutters may serve one valuable purpose - the moving blades and the foil (or the metal comb in a rotary) "wear in" over time to each other, improving cutting efficiency. That's why rotary manufacturers emphasize the importance of matching up the rotating blades to the same comb after cleaning. You shave with the same rotating blade in the same comb every shave. And although Braun's cartridges are self-contained, meaning the integral cutters and foils (or cutting bars) don't change, having dissimilar cutters allows you to replace the head, from visual cues, in the same orientation every time you remove it. This may - or may not - make a difference in the way the cutters interact with their associated foils as you shave. In the world of rapidly moving metal parts, uniformity is a good thing. Maybe significantly, maybe not.

Thank you for your comments Scaramouche.

As someone who has used almost exclusively straight and safety razors for the last dozen of years, I find your point about the stronger “push” and weaker “pull” stroke quite interesting.

I have been alternating head orientation on my Braun Series 9 for the last few shaves and on today’s shave with option “A” (gold coloured trimmer closer to the ON/OFF switch) I have been careful to put as much effort in the ”pull” stroke as in the “push” stroke.
In previous shaves, head orientation with the gold coloured trimmer closer to the (long hair trimmer) back of the razor (Option “B”) seemed to produce better results, but today’s Option “A” result appeared indistinguishable from Option ”B”.


Unlike the Braun Series 9, the Series 7 is fitted with a symmetrical head and hence users are not usually able to tell which side is front and which side is back.
This will make your comment regarding a razor head giving better performance if the head is always inserted with the same orientation difficult to verify on this model - one of the reasons I was particularly interested in input from Series 9 owners who - as you already stated - can easily tell the orientation of their razor’s head.


B.

 

[Jason smooth]

I am ordering mine next month, Im looking forward in comparing it to the Norelco Prestige cutting heads.

 

[Scaramouche]

I am ordering mine next month, Im looking forward in comparing it to the Norelco Prestige cutting heads.

I find the Series 9 gives me a more comfortable shave (general consensus for Brauns), but probably no more close. The Prestige head really is Norelco's zenith, and provides the closest shave (on parallel or better than their 9000 Series) for me of any rotary. You really do need to give your face (and technique) time to transition from rotary to foil, particularly if you shave dry, but either shaver gives me the best shaves you can probably get from an electric.

 

[Jason smooth]

I currently have the Norelco Sensotouch 3D with the Prestige shaving head on it. The shaver head update was a big improvement over the shaver head for my shaver which is the standard 9000. I used a Norelco rotary for a long time and have not used a Braun shaver for several years.

I choose the Braun as it has a cleaning station while the Prestige does not. You have to take apart the 3 rotary heads once a month to clean them which is a little bit of a hassle.

As the Prestige uses the same rotary head as mine, I didnt believe the shaving experience would be any different. However the engine might be a little faster in the Prestige so it might cut a little better but the closeness should be the same.

 

[Scaramouche]

I currently have the Norelco Sensotouch 3D with the Prestige shaving head on it. The shaver head update was a big improvement over the shaver head for my shaver which is the standard 9000. I used a Norelco rotary for a long time and have not used a Braun shaver for several years.

I choose the Braun as it has a cleaning station while the Prestige does not. You have to take apart the 3 rotary heads once a month to clean them which is a little bit of a hassle.

As the Prestige uses the same rotary head as mine, I didnt believe the shaving experience would be any different. However the engine might be a little faster in the Prestige so it might cut a little better but the closeness should be the same.

One hack for the Prestige that I and others have used is to swap out the Prestige head on another Norelco body and run it through the Norelco cleaning station, then replace on the Prestige - no disassembly required. Works great!

 

[Chevyguy]

I currently have the Norelco Sensotouch 3D with the Prestige shaving head on it. The shaver head update was a big improvement over the shaver head for my shaver which is the standard 9000. I used a Norelco rotary for a long time and have not used a Braun shaver for several years.

I choose the Braun as it has a cleaning station while the Prestige does not. You have to take apart the 3 rotary heads once a month to clean them which is a little bit of a hassle.

As the Prestige uses the same rotary head as mine, I didnt believe the shaving experience would be any different. However the engine might be a little faster in the Prestige so it might cut a little better but the closeness should be the same.

Just find a glass that's big enough to put the shaver head in with it attached to the shaver. Put some cleaning solution in the glass and turn on the shaver and let it run for a few minutes. When done let the shaver sit on the counter with the heads open so they can dry.

Clayton

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