Exhibit 5.2

            [LETTERHEAD OF Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory LLP]


September 10, 2001

Airgas, Inc.
259 North Radnor-Chester Road
Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087-5283


     Re:  Airgas, Inc. $225,000,000 Principal Amount of 9.125% Senior
          Subordinated Notes due 2011
          -----------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Solely for the purpose of rendering this opinion, we have acted as special
California counsel to Airgas-West, Inc. and Rutland Tool & Supply Co., Inc.,
each a California corporation (the "California Guarantors") and each a
subsidiary of Airgas, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in
connection with the proposed issuance and exchange (the "Exchange Offer") of up
to $225,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company's outstanding 9.125%
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2011 (the "Old Notes") for a like principal amount
of the Company's 9.125% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2011 (the "New Notes") to
be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act").  The New Notes are
to be issued pursuant to the indenture dated as of July 30, 2001 (the
"Indenture"), among the Company, the Company's subsidiaries listed on Schedule I
thereto (the "Guarantors") and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the "Trustee").

     In that connection, we have examined originals, or copies certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records
and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of
this opinion, including the Indenture.

     For the purpose of rendering this opinion, we have made and relied, without
independent inquiry, upon the following assumptions:

     (a) That the signatures on the Indenture and the Guarantee (as defined
below) are genuine, the authenticity of all documents referenced in this opinion
submitted to us as originals, and the conformity with the original documents of
all documents submitted to us as copies.

     (b) That there are no documents or other information which has not been
furnished to us which would materially alter, modify or amend the Indenture or
the Guarantee, and no events have occurred since the adoption of resolutions by
the California Guarantors with respect to the authorization, execution and
delivery of the Indenture and the Guaranty as of July 30, 2001 which would
rescind, invalidate or otherwise call into question said resolutions.


                    Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory LLP
                    attorneys at law



Airgas, Inc.
September 10, 2001
Page 2



     Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

     1.  Each California Guarantor has duly authorized, executed and delivered
the Indenture.

     2.  Each California Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and
delivery of the guarantee (the "Guarantee") to be endorsed on the New Notes.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form S-4 under the Act relating to
the Exchange Offer.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are
included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of
the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

                              Very truly yours,


                              ALLEN MATKINS LECK GAMBLE & MALLORY LLP, a
                              Partnership including Professional Corporation

                              By:  David A. B. Burton, A Law Corporation,
                                   Partner

                                   By:   /s/ David Burton
                                        ------------------------------
                                          David Burton, President