Re to
Thanks for Showing interest , the posts or other items are individually assessed and then if the original decal can be retained , they are left well along , if this is not possible then they are re-touched/drawn in by hand.
The actuai seatpost sections are normally taken back to the bare metal and either reanodised Or re-painted in stages , I build up the paint layers, flat back, and proceed as required, finally once I'm happy, the paint is sealed and it's off to the oven to preserve the new finish.
One good thing I've found is on the final required finish, the original black shimano colouration can be recreated or can be slightly altered to suit needs , for example I have a project bike in the works and the finish on this frame is more of a satin black finish instead of the original shimano glossy finish, using the original shimano black finish sticks out like a sore thumb, so this enables me to blend and colour match the seatpost to match the frame , imho giving a nicer overall finish to the project
Not great at explaining but hopefully you get the idea

, I'm in the process currently of restoring a set of true temper bars that were to all intense and purposes scrap, but after some tinkering they are now looking nearly new, further on these in a later post
If anyone is looking for any restorations like this being undertaken , drop me a line and I'll see if I can help you, it's nice to save those old parts, which again imho is something that everyone should be trying to do
Ian