Assa Flexcore Plus strangeness

[gumptrick]

I just got this new lock--Assa Flexcore Plus--from an authorized Assa dealer. The lock looks and functions perfectly, but I am a bit confused!


By my understanding the "Flexcore Plus" system was based on the idea of a long rod protruding into the keyway of the lock in order to make it more difficult to pick and also to make it more difficult to duplicate keys. The keys have long holes along the base of the key in order to accommodate the rod. It's basically a really fancy kind of warding.

The issue is that the lock I received does not contain this rod at all. I can look down the keyway with a flashlight and there is clearly no rod. I can see the back of the keyway through the slot and there's no hole where a rod might be installed, or a mark where there might have once been a rod there. However, the keys DO have the expected hole in them. Anyone know why this might be? Did Assa change the Flexcore design at some point?




I have contacted the shop I bought the lock from but I have not yet received a reply.

As a side note, I REALLY like this lock. It's amazingly beefy for its size. As you can see from the photo with the keys next to it this is not a very large padlock but the design is incredibly strong. This particular one has the Flexcore Plus core, but you can also order this lock with a variety of cores up to and including the Assa Twin Maximum. That's an amazing amount of security in a small, compact package.

[billdeserthills]

US Lock used to sell a proprietary cylinder with a restricted key that had a pin as well,
the use of the pin was optional, they sold blanks drilled for the pin and undrilled too

I just noticed the pin idea seems to belong to Arrow, likely an Assa Abloy owned company as well....

[jimu57]

I emailed probably THE expert on ASSA and Ruko in the US. He is a consultant and ASSA wholesaler. Here is what he said about the Flexcore.

"Flex core is designed to work with or without the pin in place. The idea is to use Flex core without the pin in place and then you install it when you want to lock someone out. We used it here with SCIF and sold it through Arrow Lock. I do not think that it is sold here in the US anymore.

It is still sold in Europe but not too popular. I can order you a keyed cylinder if you want one. It is not a high security cylinder so picking is only difficult if the pin is in place and you have to work around it."

[gumptrick]

Thank you for the info guys.

I bought this lock from a licensed Assa dealer in the UK and had it shipped here to the US. I would very much like to add that pin--after all, like jumu57's contact mentioned, without that pin it's just a standard 5-pin lock. I have already picked the 5-pin Assa Ruko and I already have one in my collection, so the whole point of this was to get something a bit more exotic and challenging.

jimu57, do you mind asking your contact exactly how one goes about adding this pin? I'm assuming there is some kind of "pin kit" that one would order to add the pin? I don't need a whole new cylinder as mine is working perfectly, but I would like to add that pin if possible. I'd rather research a factory option first before going the DIY route.

I figure that worst-case scenario I can sacrifice a key to make a guide to hold my drill straight and drill the back of the plug. Then I can fabricate a pin and solder it into the hole. But again, I'd rather go with a factory correct option if that's possible.

[gumptrick]

Well, I heard back from the dealer that I purchased this lock from. The dealer explained that the original "flexcore" had the rod, however when the patent expired and the design was updated to "flexcore plus" they removed the rod from the design.

I'm not sure that makes sense to me or if I even believe that given that the keys still have the hole to accommodate the rod, but there you have it. Perhaps the keys retain the hole for reasons of backwards compatibility? It's all rather confusing--the factory info sheet on the "Flexcore plus" makes reference to a 'unique design for pick resistance' and 'prevention of unauthorized key usage', and I'm having trouble figuring out what that could be if not this rod?

Looks like it's going to be time to mod the lock to add the rod. I'm still interested to see if there are factory parts for this. If not I'll be going the DIY route.

[jimu57]

From what I've been told, the rod is installed/ removed from the back of the plug when you have it disassembled. With out not being any item used in the US, it's hard to tell where pins can be sourced.

[gumptrick]

I don't know this for a fact, but this is where my research is leading me:

I think the original Flexcore had a hole drilled in the plug that the rod could be inserted into. I'm not sure if it was threaded, had a setscrew, or used some other method of retention though. It seems the hole has vanished completely from the Flexcore plus. I chatted with a fellow lock enthusiast who also has a flexcore plus and his is missing the hole just like mine is.

So I think my original plan will be put into action: sacrifice a key to make a drilling jig to put a hole in the back of the plug, then install a pin.

[GWiens2001]

I don't know this for a fact, but this is where my research is leading me:

I think the original Flexcore had a hole drilled in the plug that the rod could be inserted into. I'm not sure if it was threaded, had a setscrew, or used some other method of retention though. It seems the hole has vanished completely from the Flexcore plus. I chatted with a fellow lock enthusiast who also has a flexcore plus and his is missing the hole just like mine is.

So I think my original plan will be put into action: sacrifice a key to make a drilling jig to put a hole in the back of the plug, then install a pin.

Why sacrifice a key? Find the right size drill bit and put it backwards in the hole of the key. Then slide it into the keyway and let the drill bit scratch the back of the core where the pin needs to be installed. Remove the key, take out the drill bit, disassemble the core and drill your hole.

Gordon

[gumptrick]

Why sacrifice a key? Find the right size drill bit and put it backwards in the hole of the key. Then slide it into the keyway and let the drill bit scratch the back of the core where the pin needs to be installed. Remove the key, take out the drill bit, disassemble the core and drill your hole.
Gordon

I had considered that method, but the problem is that I have to drill the hole at the back of the keyway so there is no good way to visually align the drill bit with any sort of scratch or punchmark. I did put the lock on the table of my milling machine to see if I could use an optical center to sight down into the keyway but the depth is just too high.

I suppose I could take measurements off the key, calculate the position of the hole relative to some reference point on the plug, and then center it using the X-Y coordinates on my mill.

I'm not fond of the idea of sacrificing a key, but it does make the hole positioning very simple and idiot-proof.

[GWiens2001]

Why sacrifice a key? Find the right size drill bit and put it backwards in the hole of the key. Then slide it into the keyway and let the drill bit scratch the back of the core where the pin needs to be installed. Remove the key, take out the drill bit, disassemble the core and drill your hole.
Gordon

I had considered that method, but the problem is that I have to drill the hole at the back of the keyway so there is no good way to visually align the drill bit with any sort of scratch or punchmark. I did put the lock on the table of my milling machine to see if I could use an optical center to sight down into the keyway but the depth is just too high.

I suppose I could take measurements off the key, calculate the position of the hole relative to some reference point on the plug, and then center it using the X-Y coordinates on my mill.

I'm not fond of the idea of sacrificing a key, but it does make the hole positioning very simple and idiot-proof.

That makes sense. However, as for idiot-proof, have a favorite saying that I learned many decades ago. Any time someone makes something idiot-proof, somebody else makes a better idiot.

Gordon

[billdeserthills]

I wouldn't doubt that US Lock is still selling the supplies they have of this Flex core stuff
I'll call them & see-- heck, I woulda done it sooner but I didn't realize just how badly
you needed to overpay for this hard-to-find item >Mod please insert evil laugh here<

[gumptrick]

Any time someone makes something idiot-proof, somebody else makes a better idiot.

Gordon

Yeah, that is certainly true. I don't think it's wise to take the phrase "idiot proof" literally!

Anyway, I think I have come up with a method that will let me drill this hole without sacrificing a key. Here's the plan:
-clamp the key in my drill vise with the tip facing up & square to the table. The vise will grip the bow of the key.
-center the drill over the hole in the key so that it's perfectly aligned.
-raise the drill bit, then put the plug over the key.
-clamp the plug, if possible*
-drill

The clamping is really the only gotcha. I fear that most methods of clamping could result in deforming the plug. Even with the key in place I fear that I might accidentally "crimp" the plug down onto the key so the key fits tighter than it should. So maybe insert some strips of brass shim stock between the plug and the sides of the key before clamping to make sure the core doesn't get squashed.

Also, this is just a tiny hole in a piece of brass so I may not bother with the clamping at all. The forces from drilling will be very low. I'll play it by ear as I get the setup going.

[GWiens2001]

Good thinking, gumptrick! And you don't really need a great deal of force to drill that small a hole.

Gordon

[billdeserthills]

I wouldn't doubt that US Lock is still selling the supplies they have of this Flex core stuff
I'll call them & see-- heck, I woulda done it sooner but I didn't realize just how badly
you needed to overpay for this hard-to-find item >Mod please insert evil laugh here<

So I spoke with US Lock,
They do actually still sell this system, but in order to purchase any of it, first you must be a
'Dealer' with US Lock, which I am not. Perhaps someone else here is already a dealer with them,
and can get you the parts you want?