Hello.

I just N+1 myself a new-to-me 1969 Coppi Pista. Paint (grey) is in great shape, decals as you would expect are about 85% gone. Got new ones in the same color and style of the originals (medium blue). Now for that added little detail, i want to paint the lug cutouts the same color as the decals. Has anyone ever used nail polish? Seems to me that there is a huge color range in the nail polish world.

Thoughts?

I would NOT use Nail polish. It may make the old paint "Bleed". Try Testors model paint and clear coat over it.

Great advice about NOT using nail polish. I thought it would be the easiest to match. I will look into model paint in general.

Hmm, first I've heard of that. I would think the colors would bleed only if the bike was painted originally in lacquer (like nail polish) or if the original paint was insufficiently cured (unlikely on a 47-year-old bike)

doubtful that lacquer (nail polish) would cause cured paint (whether enamel, lacquer or polyurethane) to "bleed" color but the solvents (mainly acetone) COULD possibly cause SOME OEM paints to wrinkle...even that is something I have rarely seen on commercially painted bike frames, more likely on rattle-canned re-sprays.
Lacquer is typically SPRAYED on top of previous coats many times, up to dozens of coats so they only concern is if you really overwork the nailpolish by brushing excessively and vigorously.
My fave: One Shot signpainter's enamel---the industry standard!

Yes, you definitely want to make lug cutouts stand out.

Ok, this gives me more options. Thank you.

My only concern is that i want to match the mid-blue of the decals perfectly. Might be hard to do over the internet. Model paint might be teh way to go.

Gah! that is so beautiful!

aren't nail polishes usually lacquer? i've only used them a couple times on frames and thought they went on too clumpy. i too prefer model enamel (testors or humbrol).

i do use clear nail polish to set in place finishing thread (embroidery thread) that holds bar tape in place. i've also used it to protect pitted metal areas against rust.

Ive had great results using nail polish. And Ive done a few.

Lacquer over enamel is a long held painter's no-no, but in this case, with forty year old paint as was said, it's not a worry.
Just don't lay it on too thick. I find it difficult to get nail polish to brush out well without marks, as it is rather thick. But a few drops of acetone can thin it out well enough to flow better.

But I too would go model paints. Though you may have to buy three or four bottles with which to experiment and do mixing. And remember the dry down rule. Paints look slightly darker when they are completely dry than when they are wet. And some colors, more so than others. Just experiment.

Let's see the bike!

Yes like I said I have never had much luck with Nail Polish. Testors works much better and will keep you out of the Cosmetics Dept.

Nails polish has lots of options and you can use colors that are clear or semi clear, or sparkly that birng out anything below it. Not sure about bleeding.

Not as ghey as it sounds, ha!