The functional purpose of the nose strut is :
1) to hold the wheel in the right place relative to the airframe,
2) to absorb some energy on less graceful landings, and
3) allow the nose to rise gently on takeoff so the pilot has a moment to
    find the right elevator position.

A rubber hose clamped to the strut can allow the strut to serve #1 well,
#2 adequately, and #3 not so well. In my view, that is sufficient to allow
a safe flight by someone who knows how to fly a Lancair in the first place.
Consider that many airplanes are flying with little or no shock absorption
in the nose gear. It's probably better than the rock-hard mooney donuts
that used to be on the mains of my LNC2.

If I were facing considerable inconvenience versus flying with a
deflated nose strut plus radiator hose and hose clamps, I would clamp
on the hose, and give the nose a few tugs up and down to insure
proper takeoff attitude and prop clearance. If it passed those tests,
I would fly it home. The greatest risk would be ridicule on the LML :-)

OK, Here's the ridicule.

 

You forgot function #4.  Adequately filled with fluid and nitrogen, the strut also provides shimmy damping.  Why is that important?  Well, without such damping, the possibility of instantaneous destructive vibration of the nose wheel can cause a gear collapse, fracturing the engine mount or other structural failures.  Perhaps the metal-on-metal contact prevented shimmy from occurring, perhaps it was just luck.  

 

There is a risk when flying with a problem - especially where the consequences are not well understood.  Ahh, what's ridicule? Remember "Sticks and stones (and squawks) may break my bones but names will never hurt me."