EXCELLENT, Cliff. For a couple of years I've been beating my head against the wall trying to tell folks that in my tests coarse edges and either convex or flat grinds simply blow away the competition. As far as I know, you and Joe Talmadge are the only folks that have ever taken the time to see if I'm full of it or not. Everybody else just assumes that they know that coarse edges won't cut or something.
Try stopping at about 300-325 grit. Where things get really interesting is trying a worn 180 grit belt sanded edge against whatever else you like. ;-) ;-) If you do it right, it'll miserably fail the stupid shaving tests, but you probably don't want to be running your thumb down the edge. ;-)
I DO think there is much merit in matching the grit strategy to the particular blade shape, steel and potential use, but I don't obsess about it. It's just something to remember that not all alloys will take a decent coarse edge.
Another really, really interesting and useful edge can be had on most carbon steels under about 59-60 Rc with nothing but a really coarse mill bastard file. The files don't always work all that great on some types of stainless, but on high carbon steels you can get an edge that you simply have to experience to believe. Just resist the temptation to polish that rough feeling edge. It's at it's best fresh off the file. ;-)
Cliff, do you have a convex A2 blade like a BJ Trailguide? For some reason, they seem to me to be amongst the most awesome factory edges that I've ever experienced. Far better the the Boye Basic III in dendritic 440C and that's saying something. If you play around with the factory convex edge and wind up duplicating the factory rolled edge with a 325 (blue) DMT bench hone, you'll have an edge that may actually be the penultimate edge for rope, cardboard, many tough fabrics etc. (Don't know what the ultimate is. ;-)
Keep up the good work.
mps