Originally Posted by noobinsf

I painted a frame a couple of years ago, and in documenting the process I took some pics of the frame clean, and then painted. The first pic shows how the hole in this case is just in the lug, and you can see the brass braze and a little leftover paint from the media blasting. Then, I later used a paint pen to add the red. I’m certain you would find the same on your frame if you stripped the paint and redid it. (Not that I’m suggesting you do that. I just mean that the builder clearly was trained and experienced, and they would not have punched a hole in the frame tube.)

I think you’re simply seeing the difference between the metallic paint of the frame and the solid paint in the lug cutouts, along with the shiny clear coat.

Thanks for the full frame shot. It’s a lovely bike!