I saw these messages morning, and have been thinking of a response but haven't quite nailed it but I'll try. We're all friends here and good to invoke thought. I think that wet shaving is wildly personal, YMMV and all that. Having some experience, I take posts I read with a grain of YMMV salt and consider it critically. It can be good to define/remind newer folks of the personal aspects. That said, I am a declared Blackbird nut, I love it.
So I'm curious, what to you is an "easier to learn" razor; and what do you like about the other preferred razors. This isn't meant to be an explain yourself post, more so, getting better on clarity on what to you prefer of the others and helping other compare your preference to the reader's. Do you like blade feel, efficiency, riding the bar/cap, etc...
I'll answer it for myself. To me, some razors are better than others for people, just the way it is. As the first ever DE for someone, I'm not sure I'd recommend the 'Bird, I think the blade-forward design might not be amendable for someone coming from carts with poor technique. That said, I'd highly recommend the 'Bird to a newbie or experience shaver who prefers shaving at a steeper angle and want a blade forward design. Blade feel to me, is a good way to keep me honest with pressure (or lack thereof) and the 'Bird has it. The blade forward design makes it more sensitive to blade selection, and I have to be slightly pickier about blades that go in it, not to say limited but more focused. Also, the 'Bird works well for me at steeper (riding the guard or safety bar) much better than a lot of other razors, and personally, steep shaving is my jam. I hate riding the cap.
So the 'Bird is a unique razor, works for some magnificently and not so well for others. I just think it's good to define some of our preferences, which I think helps others relate to their preferences.
I agree with all of this. I hate riding the cap as well.