Well gentlemen...it's been a long journey, but I'm back to DE shaving for good...and I actually mean it this time.
I previously mentioned how I thought the redesigned Merkur 37c was too mild, but I think I was just a little rusty with my technique since it had been awhile since I DE shaved. Well, about a month ago I went to a local shop and bought one again, since I sold the last one haha, and a 100 pack of Astra SP's. I just got fed up with getting ingrowns and paying out the ass for cartridges so it was kinda my last hope.
I've been getting amazing shaves, better than ever, so now I know that I don't need to venture out and get a different razor or try different blades. Two pass shave with just a few touch ups as a third pass but I wouldn't even really consider it a "pass". Just doing J hooks in areas that were stubborn the first couple passes. Barbasol aloe as my shave cream (I like to keep it simple and as quick as possible so no brush or expensive creams for me), Thayer's original witch hazel as an aftershave and Aveeno 24hr fragrance free lotion to moisturize.
I highly recommend the Merkur 37c slant to anyone that has stubborn thick hair like myself. It's not insanely aggressive like the Muhle R41, it just slices smoothly and has some extra efficiency to it. When I think back to the older head, I really can't tell whether or not this new one is more "mild". I would say it feels smoother but works just as well. So don't think too hard about it and just buy whichever one you can. You will find it easier to mow down hair especially if you get lazy and let it grow out for a few days. In my experience, it would take 20 passes with an Edwin Jagger to accomplish the same results.
Cheers!