SFIC Bitting

[Mr. Glass]

Hello everyone. I was wondering if spacing of the bitting of keys of common SFIC cylinders is the same.

To clarify: many bump key sites sell BE2 blanks, but I would like to have bump keys for other SFIC keyways as well. If I were to put one of these BE2 keys into a duplicator and attempt to make a copy of it onto a blank for a different keyway, would the new key be accurate enough to bump with?

Thanks!

[maxxed]

I am not an expert on Best however my book shows that the best locks all have the same spacing. I don't think that the key in the bump key is as critical as the strike used on the key, consider how many successful keys have been crudely filed by hand and still work well

[David_Parker]

Most of SFIC consist of an A2 pinning system, as opposed to an A3 or A4 pinning system. I'll post soon the A2 system, or PM you if you request.


-Dave.

[mercurial]

Mr.Glass - I hope wherever you are buying your Best bumpkey from has created some form of 'artificial shoulder' on the keys.

If I recall correctly, BEST locks are tip-stopped, so bumping them with a key without some kind of shoulder-stop (such as hot glue) will damage the locks quickly due to the tip of the key being beaten into the back of the plug.

...Mark

[2octops]

Yes, all Best style cores have the same spacing and in the theory of bumping, the same depth will work.

A2, A3 & A4 all use different techniques of pin combinations, but they can all be performed in the same core.

So if bumping is what you are looking at, they all have the same diameter plug.

So, yes you can duplicate the BE2 onto any other Best style key and it will work.

Bumping Best style cores is not recomended since all use a tip stop. The stop is actually peened on the end of the plug and is used as the plug retainer also on most cores. If the tip stop is damaged, it can cause the plug to come out when removing the key or the key to be inserted to far into the plug and the key will no longer work without being pulled out of the keyway a little.

[Mr. Glass]

I appreciate the advice on the tip stop. I was planning on using the hot glue method found in Barry's presentation.

[Chucklz]

Besides the hot glue method, you must remember that you need to modify the tip of the key. However, if your purchased bump keys already have a modified tip, then you may have an interesting time duplicating them.

[rakemaster]

I believe that while most SFIC have the standard spacing, some of the high security versions use a different spacing (like PEAKS). They don't use the BE2 key, so any BE2 bump key should be OK with the standard spacing.

[Eyes_Only]

By modifying the tip of the key, do you mean to file off part of the tip so it will not make contact with the back of the plug?