Pastes: where to start

[Kai Winters]

Hi all,
I'd like some advice and/or suggestions on where/how to start with diamond pastes to further refine my knives edges.
Where I am now:
I use the Lansky system with the "stone" hones as well as the two ceramic hones and the medium and find diamond hones.
I use a home made two sided strop with Bark River black and green compounds.
I use a ten power loupe but have access to a decent stereo microscope at work to view/inspect my results.
I reprofile all my knives to the angle I most prefer for the knife and its' use.
I achieve hair shaving sharpness and smoothly slice through phone book paper.

But...I'd like to see what happens to the edge when I move up to higher grits but I'm not sure what grit progression I should use.
I don't want to guess as they are a bit costly...but not too bad.
I have several worn Lansky hones and was thinking about removing the hones from the holders and using balsa shaved to the same dimensions...I have micrometers and vernier calipers in my shop...for the pastes.

Thanks in advance for the advice and suggestions.