Quote Originally Posted by ScottS
I went from a DE right to a Feather AC, without ever trying the traditional straight approach. I'v read posts from at least two people who have a long experience with straights that said if they had started with the Feather AC, they might never have went the traditional route.
THat's probably what would have happened to me, because I was a long time DE shaver. I would have missed a lot.

Other with long experience with straights just hate the Feather.

I think that before somebody tries a Feather, it might pay to get some experience with a DE first. The no-pressure technique is more similar to a DE, I think. I learned this the hard way. Over the life span of a Feather blade, I tended to use more pressure as the blade got duller. If you're not careful when you change blades to adjust your technique back to super-sharp mode, you're in for a surprise. I think this might be why so many with years of straight experience hate the Feather.
I think you hit the nail on the head. They tend to have the same problem going from a str8 to a DE, because they nick themselves. This is the reason. In fact, when I go to a Feather after using regular str8s for a while, I'm likely to nick myself at the beginnig of the shave if I don't pay close attention to adjusting my technique.

It does have certain advantages, though. The other day, I nicked a 2-shave old blade on my tap, popped in a brand-spanking new 50 cent blade, and finished my shave.
Not everyone wants or needs that sharpness. They have learned to shave effectively without. Straight shavers did it for centuries.