This is definitely a lot to think about. One more question though. Would the combo 1k/4k, 8k, diamond spray, make sense also? I've never actually understood where the pastes and sprays fall into the mix. Obviously (I think) they add a finish and some smoothness to the edge but can they be a replacement to a finishing stone?

By the way, thanks for all of the input so far. It's great that you guys can chime in to my specific case although this has been discussed in varying ways countless times.