Feather as training for straight
I am thinking of buying a feather razor to help me learn to shave with a traditional straight. I have been using a traditional straight for about six months, but I still get much better shave with my Merkur DE. The three variables in a good straight razor shave seem to be (1) beard prep, (2) skill with razor, and (3) sharp razor (well honed and stropped). It would seem that using a feather would ensure that variable (3) sharp razor is always optimal. Thus, I can focus on beard prep and shaving skill without worrying that my problems stem from a dull blade. I had my straight sharpend by Lynn Abrams, but that still does not ensure a good blade because the razor dulls over time and poor stropping technique can dull a well honed razor very fast.
What do you guys think?