OT: dead(?) gas strut

[PeterC]

Just been dismantling an old chair (get some (possibly) useful bits) and had the base and column with gas strut. Now, I never get in line with either end of a gas strut so was fiddling around with the lever etc., then put the sharp end on a slab, operated the lever and pressed down hard. There was a whoosh of gas and the piston rod went flush down and stayed there. Is this the way to kill the thing? I wondered if it was a built-in method of rendering it harmless.

[Andy Dingley]

Sometimes. You push the cup seal against the ends internally, the cup bends and the seal doesn't seal for a moment. Cue whooshing and loss of pressure.

Don't think it's deliberate though. Usually the shaft isn't long enough and the shaft's end attachment bottoms out first.

[PeterC]

Ok, thanks - looks as if I was lucky.

I take all my scrap metal to the local tip, sorry, recycling centre in the panniers, so a suddenly operating gas strut is unwelcome; the whole assy. was a bit long when out.