I am also currently using a Feather Popular Safety Razor and these are from my own experience and your millage may vary as always.This is my first post here, and I just gotta say, "Thank you," that you encourage newbies to experiment with different blades. I've just gotten into shaving with a DE safety razor and I started with an inexpensive Feather Popular razor. I also made the newbie mistake (that I have since learned WAS a mistake) and I ordered the razor and a 100 pack of Derby Extra blades (because I'd seen the Derby Extras recommended as a good newbie blade). Suffice it to say that it really wasn't a pleasant experience, and I thought to myself, "This is for the birds." But after doing more reading and seeing people recommend trying different blades, I backed up and tried again. Unfortunately, I'm in a temporary location overseas (outside of the US) that doesn't have access to a sampler pack in the time that I am here. However, I did find a pack of King C. Gillette blades at a local supermarket so I bought them. I loaded up one of the KGC's this morning and thought, "Well, let's try this, and if it isn't any better, maybe it's back to a Mach3 for me." It was glorious! Not a nick, not a cut, not a weeper, and an incredibly smooth shave. I couldn't be happier.
So just a quick note to say, "Thanks for encouraging us newbies to try different blades." I'm heading back to the States in a month, and I'll order a sampler pack then and begin trying out as many as I can. Until then, I'll keep using the KGC blades, and...well...I don't know what I'll do with the Derby Extras.
1) The blade that works best for Me may not be the best for you.