If I ever do bother cleaning flash (I'm usually too lazy, but I sometimes do if its excessive or its a Raging Heroes mini that I specifically bought just to try and paint up well) I'll use a modelling knife, and its just a question of whether I use the sharp side to hack off really big or awkward bits of flash, or the blunt side to scrape excess plastic 'ridges' from more accessible areas.
I can't really offer any better advice than to make sure the blade you are using is really sharp, and to go very very slowly when cutting chunks off from hard-to-reach areas.
Oh, and I guess you could get yourself a set of small metal files. I bought a set of 6 Draper 140mm Needle Files for some super-specific stuff I was trying out a while back. Might work.
As for my painting progress. Street Masters has been put to one side for a bit, as its a massive project. I have a game called 'Theosis' that I've been meaning to get done. It has 12 human characters, 5 beasts and 2 really big pieces to paint. I rushed the beasts (I'm not a fan of painting nondescript monsters, so they look so garbage I'm not even going to post them), but spent a bit more time on the humans. There are 6 male and 6 female. I got all the blokes done first.
Also this arrived in the post. I
really want to get started on it, but lord knows where its going to fit into my painting queue!