[TimT]

John, Both soda and walnut media were used to clean different area of the statue. Other media were tried, but proved to damaging.

I had the honor of being involved with the restoration of statue, during the time I was on the island pallets of crushed walnut shells were staged right next to the blasting equipment.

Kelvin,

If you really need to get the paint off the case and heads (you see so little of them anyway), why not try a die grinder and some abrasive points or rolls, scotchbright discs etc.