UPDATE:
I spent some time with my man, the last rope puller, we had a chat about him working harder and BOOM the rope now goes through both hands!
In other words -it wasn't the casting, no damage at all - but the paint had sealed his back hand shut. I opened a paper clip and gently pushed it into his back hand and VIOLA - the rope now goes through!
As I said - this set is awesome and if you like the AE series at all, a must buy in my opinion! (now we just need a moses figure to come and rescue them all :smile2: )