Thanks Sam, but that is pretty much what I did, except that I posed the figure before and after loading the prop.

BTW, I also get a deformity if I follow this sequence:

1. Load figure and prop.
2. Pose prop to fit hand-1.
3. Pose hand-2.
4. Turn off IK for hand-2.
5. Parent hand-2 to hand-1.

This was also explained in the earlier thread, but when I execute step 5, both hand-2 and forearm-2 are deformed.

Mike