I have manages to retrieve the piston head out of the chamber, the washer disintegrated when I removed the steel washer, I have found a leather tap washer in my plumbing gear and I’ve made that fit, it’s now soaking in neatsfoot.

The end of the piston look as though it had expanded slightly with slamming into the bottom of the cylinder so I have ground it so that it slides into the cylinder easily.

My concern is now how to get the piston head to stay in the piston, is the groove in the shank of the piston head to take a circlip.

Cheers

Melv

Chippendale (with clothes on)