Is it possible to learn to pick Best SFIC's consistently?

[cyrano138]

I've been picking and learning for a few months now, and Bests are probably the hardest lock I've managed to open (haven't yet tried Medeco, Primus, or anything upwards). I can see how consistent work with, say, American 5200's will lead to being able to pick them blind, so to speak, but given the difficulties created by Bests' two shear lines, it seems like even for a supremely talented picker they'll always take loads of time and poking around and trial and error to open. I know you can make some tension wrenches to change this, but I would like to ask if anyone can pick them blind quickly and consistently with normal tools. Mind you, I'm not asking how as I'm not sure if they're considered high security.

Jack

[2octops]

No they are not considered high security in the industry.

Yes you can learn to pick them with lots and lots of practice.

[cledry]

I use a rotary pick at work.

[cyrano138]

Wow. I spent a lot of time searching and reading before I got that.

[lock2006]

Well i have to say i have a few of those Best SFIC's
eventhough they are not considered high security
they act like it sometimes,they are not easy to pick open,i can not pick them consistently
sometimes some of them are open to easy i don't know why,sometimes they are not i guess because of the keyways
for me i can say the A keyways are easier for me to pick than other keyways
but they are fun to pick
in my case i can open the medeco cylinder 5 or 6 pins
faster than the best lock again,also depends on the keyways
hope this helps.

[cyrano138]

It does help, thanks. If nothing else, it's nice to know I'm not the only one.

[theTastyCat]

I've got 30 or so Best cores, and the only ones I can open are the ones that I have knocked all but 3 or less pin stacks out of. I even have all the Peterson SFIC tools; it's just really hard. Part of it may be that these are all heavily used cores, and the cylinders just don't really want to spin without a pretty good amount of force, almost like there's a bunch of grime in there gumming it up. Also, pin feedback is really sketchy; so hard to feel anything happening, probably because I don't have the tension right since it's so hard to tell how much the cylinder needs to begin to spin. I know a lot of guys on here can open then, but it's difficult to imagine how a 6-pinner could even begin to be picked. Just shows how much progress there is to be made in this hobby

[cyrano138]

The only ones I've opened I was able to look at the key. I didn't really have a problem with feedback and I could easily tell when I was setting pins, but of course in a six pin Best you have 2^6 possible configurations, which is where the trial and error/poking around question comes in. I was wondering if anyone's figured out how to tell the difference between setting at operating and setting at control shear by feel. I would recommend a falcon interchangeable core if you want one that's a little easier.

[camelgd]

The reason you don't get good feedback from the picking action is that the springs are weak to start with and they kind of lose even more springiness over time. There doesn't seem to be a lot of room left for them on top the pin chambers, and they get smooshed very quickly. Smooshed is technical term used in the higher circles of the locksmithing industry!

[raimundo]

some best locks will be very resistant to picking so those are the ones you leave for another try another day.
most best locks will eventually pick,

the masterkeying and grand master, etc all leave the pin stacks with severl shearllines,

but the core removal control sleeve has its own shear line, and this can be a real problem, if some pins are finding the shear at the top of the sleeve and others are finding the shear line inside the sleeve.

Many especially new ones will pick open very cooperatively, but some are highly resistant, usually the older ones. this is just tight machining and whatever graphite is in there packed hard.

Picking a best is sometimes very easy, but luck plays a hand. you seldom pick the control line, but if you do and the point is to open the thing, then its just as good a picking the lock function.

[cyrano138]

I just got a set of the i-core tools from Peterson. So far I haven't had any more luck with them than without, but I'm going to give it a lot more time to learn.

The best cores are a fascinating subject, I think. They really are tough to crack (for me), but fun to fool around with.