I look at sash from both sides now... in and out... it's life's illusions anyhow

Painting Sash Windows is a homeowner challenge Prepwork in a restoration is not the type of work for avid golfers. So hire a painter and go golfing.
When the window is raised, the inside strip of the outer window sash becomes visible.
This surface is usually a mess. Countless clumsy paint-overs will have left it looking much abused over time.
Remove the burlap moulding from one side, then raise and pop-out the inside window. Now you can do a nice job on that one strip, and get fresh air at the same time.
Here is the lower inside sash that you just removed. Now you can fix up not only the outside strip, but the inside as well. I know what you are saying -- "More work. It never ends!" But once you've done that, you will notice another and bigger difference. Passing neighbours will no longer slink away in horror, shielding their eyes and telling their children: "Look away, child! Look away!"
While I had the window disassembled, I faux woodgrained the visible outside strip. The exterior trimwork was eventually faux painted. See also: * Removing paint from glass. * Faux woodgraining damaged sills. * Woodgraining a screened-in deck.