New Tensioner that I came upon (What is it?)

[mrdan]

It is a small double sided tensioner with a small bite. The weird part is that the part that goes into the lock has a groove cut into it so the bar would make kind of a "U" shape if pushed into something. Anyone see one of these and know what it is for?? I haven't seen one before. (Or at least noticed)

[gotta]

Without a pic, it sounds like a double tension wrench that puts equal pressure on the top of the plug as well as the bottom of the plug. They are best suited for picking automotive locks and function to hold the spring loaded shutter caps out of the way. If it's what I think you're describing, they don't work that great on standard door lock cylinders as they block too much of the keyway for the pick.

Regards

[mrdan]

no it is not a wishbone type it appears to be a normal double sided tensioner (lay it on a table and is resembles an "S". └───┐

If you hold it up and look down the blade of it (from tip to bend) it looks like a tiny kind of "u" or more like └─┘

[MacGyver101]

Are you perhaps describing the Falle Safe tension tools? They're shown part way down this page.

[MacGyver101]

Ah... never mind. (I think we posted at the same time... and I don't think you're talking about the Falle tensioners.)

[mrdan]

Construction is like this..

take a piece of metal about 1/16" thick X 1/8" to 1/4" wide and about two or three inches long.

Bend one end to 90 degrees at about 1/4" and the other end 90 the other way at about 1/2"

then take a dremel with a wheel about the same thickness as the metal and cut a groove along the short ends from the bend to the tips to make the └─┘ that I am referring to.

[maintenanceguy]

See if your tension tool is on this page called the vv-6.

http://www.hpcworld.com/Picks/p_standt.htm

I think you're talking about HPC's grooved tension wrench. The groove is for keyways with an awkward protrusion that prevents other tension tools from working well.

I've got one and I'm glad I have it. It probably only gets used on 5% of locks but it sure is nice to have when other tension wrenches are slipping.

[raimundo]

I had no idea that petersen was already making these, I have been going to make something like it. there are several patterns, my concepts have cross sections like ) or ( and L. The concept is to get a tensor that will grip in the warding of the lower keyway and not slip or bind against the cylinder wall. the simple shapes are to accomodate numerous different keyways and still fit well, they are designed as simple segments of the keyway but still slim and skeletonized. to make them I need to find the ideal material to start with, that I can bend without cracking, there is a lot of potential in this area for making something new that will work better than the standard. I am not producing these at this time. I have only tried a few prototypes.

[mrdan]

See if your tension tool is on this page called the vv-6.

http://www.hpcworld.com/Picks/p_standt.htm

I think you're talking about HPC's grooved tension wrench. The groove is for keyways with an awkward protrusion that prevents other tension tools from working well.

I've got one and I'm glad I have it. It probably only gets used on 5% of locks but it sure is nice to have when other tension wrenches are slipping.

Yep!! That's it!! I kind of figured that is what it was for but I could find it. Thanks!

[raimundo]

i was checking out the lockpicktools.com sponsored youtube videos of christa the picks and tits chick, in one she does a fast job on an american 5200 in which she seems to put one tensor at the bottom of the keyway then another tensor just above it. That would be to prevent the second tensor which she used from binding into the cylinder wall, it seemed to work well in the video, not more than a minute if my memory is right.
Of course, I wasn't really watching to learn about the picking

[dougfarre]

Does anyone have any experience with those falle safe adjustable tension wrenches? I personally think they are pretty unpleasant, and difficult to use. I am just wondering if anyone else uses these on a regular basis?