[LEFT]Went to the women's fingernail section of Wal*Mart, picked up some 100% Acetone (fingernail polish remover). I used it to strip the paint off a Hot Toys USCM Aliens Hudson figure. The Hudson head looks like Hicks. I let it soak for about a minute, used an old fingernail brush and removed the factory tough paint they use. It took about 3 sessions of about 45 - 60 seconds each time.
I also took a Kyle Reese head and used the same method. I don't have a before picture of Kyle before, but you'll see him after.
What I wasn't ready for and took me by surprise was the defects in the heads, air bubbles, pits, gouges, etc. It was effectively hidden by that thick, rubber like paint they use. So, I used some very find sandpaper and a Dremel buffer to fix them up a bit.
Here are the pictures:
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