I jumped into the deep end with my first blades with the Feathers, fortunately I also used a reasonably mild razor. Not a brilliant idea but forced me to be more careful.
Derby would have been a better option I think. However, with an aggressive razor it can be an excellent combination. They are not the sharpest but one of the smoothest and with the Merkur Progress on setting 4 or 5, they go through my facial hair like butter and the skin doesn't feel raw like it does with Merkur 34 HD and Feather blade combination.
Saying Derby blades are rubbish, it's a rather harsh statement I think. There are razors and hair types for which Derby blades make an excellent combination.