Nitrogen shock

I heard this from the victim's mother last night, so have no doubt it
is genuine - however, as the combined brainpower of the whole family
would struggle with a wordsearch in Take A Break, the actual event is a
bit misty.

It appears that Sonny decided he needed to modify the suspension on his
scooter, so he stripped the shock off and set to. You know the bit
where it says "Do Not Dismantle" in big letters, with hazard markings
and all? Well, he dismantled it - or somehow, released the gas in the
shock: nitrogen, I assume.

As the gas made a break for atmosphere it would have been in a big
hurry and expanding on the way - and his little finger was obstructing
its path. The top joint of the offending digit is now blue, swollen
"hard as a marble" and cold to the touch. Oh, and it hurts like ****,
apparently.

They had a trip to the hospital yesterday, but as there wasn't a
suitable surgeon on duty, they were sent home with instructions and
painkillers. They're going back today, and he'll come home a little
lighter, having had it amputated.

It strikes me there's a cautionary tale here and it had never occurred
to me that this sort of injury might result from dicking about with
suspension. Let's go careful out in that workshop, eh?

 

Really?

 

Presumably from frostbite. That expanding gas would be _very_ cold, so
I'd guess he's frozen the finger solid and killed all the blood
vessels and stuff.

Couldn't they just save themselves future effort and expense and
amputate it at the neck now?

"Bware Sonny - him danger"

 

I find it hard to believe that anyone would be sufficiently dull witted
enough to leave their finger in contact with the escaping gas long enough
properly freeze their finger solid.

Still. If it is frostbite, why waste valuable NHS resources on surgery?
Just let it black up all of its own accord and eventually drop off like a
scab.
It'll give the window licker something to pick at whilst he ponders his
next cunning plan.

 

Ordinary springs account for a few lost fingers every year, and
gas-filled struts /shock inserts are not to be fucked with.

 

Fair point. Make him learn his lesson the hard way. And if it develops
gangrene then it's still the same saving in the long term.

 

Spot of Germolene or ESTP[1], he'll be fine.

[1]Haven't seen that stuff for years[2], dunno why, but I was strangely
addicted to the smell of it.
[2] Not that I've actually looked that hard. Or, in fact, at all.

 

I must admit I've had spring compressors slip while fitting heavy duty rear
coil springs to a tow car. It was only Fate that decided it should miss my
head by a millimetre, I doubt you would get a second chance.

 

He deserves an OMF number, at least.

 

Wotcha.

In my day it was a brass plate riveted onto the Triumph rear "Sprung Hub"
which warned of impending doom should you try and dismantle it.

 

Had nitrogen been invented back then?

 

Had _brass_ even been invented?

 

Heh. How about Snowfire ointment ? Have chilblains gone out of fashion
nowadays ?

Paul

 

My GPz550 manual had a prominent warning in the owner's manual:

"Do not incinerate the front fork"

 

Hehe, always read the warning labels. You can choose to ignore them,
but it's as well to be forewarned.

Huh ? say what. I don't even dismantle tailgate gas struts (not that
i'd want to), as these carry similar warnings.

Safety nazi. I'm sure we've all done things against the advice of big
warning labels. (I know i've moved live mains tails around before when
swapping consumer units), but as long as you're aware of the risk,
have the right tools and use sensible precautions, you should minimise
the danger.

Paul.

 

You can still get it - I have a modern tube of it, I'll bring it with me.

If you're that fussed about the smell try Root Beer, that's just liquid
Germolene.

 

ESTP (Ether Soluble Tar Paste), not Germolene.

Germolene I have. When I've run out of more traditional cyclist's
remedies. I use a liberal application of the stuff to prevent my
crotch from grinding itself to an sweaty, infested, raw, red, meaty
death.

 

Yeah, I misread. I'm not happy at the moment...

 

So I saw. Still better to find it now.

 

What would make the gas cold IIMBSBATA ?