Classic & Vintage - Bare steel lugs - can I do it?

I am in the process of stripping my frame and fork to repaint it. A search of the forums has yielded loads of good info, but left one question not completley answered. Would it be bad to strip the lugs to the bare steel and simply clear coat them without any paint? I would repaint the rest of the frame. This approach has two advantages: (1) a frame with cool looking steel lugs and (2) I avoid the hassle of stripping the rest of the frame; I can just sand it down to primer before primering and painting.

My frame is old and not very valuable (Tsubaki), so I am not worried about damaging anything. I have read some suggestions that clear coat will not properly stick to the bare metal. Is this true? Is there no way to keep that shiny metal look?

I think it's more that paint won't stick to a polished surface.

Also you must remove hand oils etc before painting (acetone or) with a clean rag.

Overlap the clear onto the tube so no water gets at where the lugs join the tube.

Also I use stripper rather than sand, gelled Lepage Poly Superstrippa. 3 coats, 1\2 hour between..the paint pretty much falls off and the metal is perfectly smooth.

All I can think of..G-luck.

Oh, I found Diamondcoat Varathaine to work good, hard, sticks well, no yellowing.