I've stripped and painted a grand total of two frames, so take my answers as one school boy comparing notes with another.

I used CitriStrip and was very happy with the results. It does leave a lot to be done around the lugs and such. I used belt sander strips for the bulk areas like the main tubes (always bits of paint left there) and brass wire brush attachments on a drill and/or dremel tool for the detail spots.It didn't seem to remove an brazing material and I think most of what's important is between the lug and tube anyway. Wear a mask or ventilator for this step too. Bits of paint go everywhere!



I used Rust-Oleum etching primer and Rust-Oleum Gloss Protective Enamel paint on the bike that turned out best. The manufacturers tend to recommend that you use their brand of primer. Of course, they would, but I think there's some scientific basis for this -- similar/compatible chemical composition and whatnot. The etching primer is supposed to bond better with the metal. Someone may recommend a filler primer over top of that. I didn't do that. Starting with a smooth surface is important though and filler helps with that I guess.

The key to the whole project is patience. You'll do more sanding than painting to get it right. Get lots of high grit (400-600-800-1000, as high as you care to go). You'll probably have some orange peel texture after a few coats of paint. Maintaining a proper distance and smooth motion helps with that, but I'm not sure you can avoid it entirely. You can wet sand to get rid of it, then either repaint or polish with something like Meguiars Ultimate Compound to get the gloss back. Keep going until you're happy. Here's the end result of my most recent attempt.