Ace II Nightmare

[globallockytoo]

lube used in conjunction with a tubular pick can quickly make the pick sliders become too loose to work and will require the tool be taken apart and wiped of lube, so if you have to lube such a lock think about it and do it very carefully, try to absorb the lube from areas where the tool could become lubed, the tool works on friction, lube will not help it.

Opinions vary.

Are you speaking from experience? Because I am!

Have you ever picked an ace lock with lube....and seen the difference to one without?

[globallockytoo]

Guess not!

[raimundo]

Guess whatever you like, I did not recommend that lube not be used, fool, I reccommended that it not be overused. now how did it happen that the time and day of your last two posts appear out of order chronologically?

[raimundo]

oh, i see, the rant was friday, and the 'guessnot' was monday. my bad, You must have thought I followed this thread closely.

[diggerdoo]

I found the ace II locks to act in a similar way, with the pins seeming to fall over inside the keyway. When I inserted the pick, the pins wouldn't even line up with the tool, and I thought that the lock had been damaged! For the latest ace tubular lock, I was surprised to see such loose tolerances, but maybe thats part of the "harder to pick" idea! wouldn't it be difficult even for the key to work in the lock?

[dougfarre]

I found the ace II locks to act in a similar way, with the pins seeming to fall over inside the keyway. When I inserted the pick, the pins wouldn't even line up with the tool, and I thought that the lock had been damaged! For the latest ace tubular lock, I was surprised to see such loose tolerances, but maybe thats part of the "harder to pick" idea! wouldn't it be difficult even for the key to work in the lock?

SEE! I knew I wasn't crazy! This is exactly the same behavior I was experiencing.

[LockNewbie21]

I had an ace 2 a while back, wasn't to bad. But this was a whileeee ago so i had more oobi n me then, than now if oyu can believe that

Anyway, Ray, Global.. take it easy fella's. Picking with lube or not can depened on everyting, your region. Is it cold or typiclaly warm? You could be near a beach or place where there is much dirt like in a farm region. Or in an area where the locks are constantly being open to refill the machine like an Areana or city street like in Newyork. It all depends.

So no need for the aggression guys!

Anyway, may have to aquire another on of these, as dougs comments ont he pins functioning has in interested.


LN21

[Raymond]

I had to help a fellow smith make a key for an ACE II last week and it was extremely difficult. He was lucky enough to be able to take the lock out of its housing. My normal pick tool was a waste of time. My turning tool was so fat I couldnt get a probe down the sides in any productive manner. I had to hold the lock in a vise and turn it with a small wrench. The pins were very straight and showed none of the wobble referred to previously. The springs were very strong. Finally got it but it was not easy.

[raimundo]

I tried impressioning an ACE II with a 12 inch rattail file, cutting the positions at a 45 degree angle to the tube with the file crossing the centerpoint of the tool and the angle raised it so it wouldn't cut into the other side. It works I suppose, but the points it leaves are dangerous to the fingers, if I had finished it, (bloody fingers got in the way) I would have just figured it was a decode key and cut the real one from the info.

[assweasel]

I have had similar problems with some ACEII. I actually think they are just some factory flawed pins.

I found the solution to this quite by accident. I have a couple of Cmods i use regularly and an old pick master that i never use anymore because the pins are to worn.

I was tackling one of these locks and 5 minutes in (if I can't pick a tubular in under 5 minutes there is something wrong) I decide to try my old pickmaster as it was either that or I was pulling the lock. (I don't drill I snap)

No problem opened like a charm. So i rplace the lock and take it to the shop where it sits for quite sometime. I then get sometime and start playing with the lock.

For the life of me i cannot open that with a CMOD and i have tried. I use the Pickmaster and it is cake. Openeing up anything with the pickmaster is a real chore as all the feelers are worn (Can't find replacements).

It is actually the wear that lets me pick this lock. the feelers on the tip are worn in a small semi-circular dimple. and the pins of this ACEII actaully get held by the feelers.

I've actually taken new pins and checked them against these dimples and find that the dimples will cause the pin to lean a bit. Not good as that would cause the pins to bind.

I have not taken apart the ACEII. It amuses me. I could take it apart and check the pins in it against the pickmaster to see if perhaps they are a tad undersized and hens no lean to the bind.

But as i say this one amuses me.

i have 25 years experience with tubulars I have seen so many malformed pins straight from the factory that I often wonder if henry the quality control inspector sleeps his shift away.

[CompFX]

Anyway, may have to aquire another on of these, as dougs comments ont he pins functioning has in interested

I have one in front of me, but the pins do not rock back and forth. However, the center post does move around.

Almost a year ago I did a breakdown of this lock, but none of the pictures turned out worth a fudge.

If interested, I could do another breakdown of it again with my new camera.

BTW my ACE II also originated from a Coke Machine.