Best SFIC Decoding Mystery, Part II

[TinkererBell]

Hi fellas,
I am decoding a BEST SFIC that I picked to control, at long last. I've ejected all of the pinstacks, and carefully measured each pin (with their stratigraphy carefully preserved) using my digital calipers. Some of the measurements I'm getting simply don't make sense. Please see this uploaded Excel sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... ring#gid=0
I am using, as my reference, almost every SFIC thread ever written on this forum, as well as the 2008 Keynotes issue on Decoding SFIC systems.
I was wondering if some of you could help me interpret this pinning table? None of the pin stacks are of uniform height. Some of the bottom pin lengths don't meet even minimum specifications. Ans it's hard to tell whether this is an A2, A3, or A4 system.
If I want to decode the control based on the data I've already gathered, how would you proceed? Do I have domething along the lines of Raymond's "SFIC Best style mystery" on my hands? (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=50294)

[Evan]

It looks like some bastardized creation which uses A2 and A3 pins as well as some non-BEST pin sizes (unless the pins are very worn)...

Is this core part of a set ?

It is probably worthless to decode, as the paranoid person who pinned it probably would not have used any sort of pattern...

~~ Evan

[GWiens2001]

Or may not have know what they are doing. Or cared.

Gordon

[TinkererBell]

Evan & Gordon, thanks for your quick replies. I agree with you both: Whoever pinned this core was likely paranoid or incompetent."
I'm stationed in a resource starved-part of the world, giving credulity to the latter. On the other hand my clever colleagues have ample time to design intricate locksport challenges for off-duty hours.

Given the sweat equity already invested in this decoding this core, I've decided that rather than give up, I will determine the control cuts by pinning up each stack, one at a time, and impressioning a key to function for that pinstack. Since so many of the measured pins were of nonstandard size (and apparently (mixed and matched a2/3/4), it would be most helpful if someone could tell me in inches (not coded distances) the distance between an sfic's operating shear and the control sheer?

I've been having some success with this method of "one stack at at time" control impressioning. We do have formulae to speed things along, but so far, it's not functioning predictably

[TinkererBell]

i should add that it's yet to be determined whether the lock I'm working on is part of a system of other similar locks or not.
And yes, there's been some key wear, but nothing too significant.

[Raymond]

Howdy friends,

To answer one of your last questions first... the measurement from the surface of the plug to the top shear surface of the control bar is .125 inch (1/8 inch). (Think: 10 depths at 12.5 thousandths each equals .125".)

If they were using Best A2 pins, rounding up to the next longest pin due to wear, I see the control being about...2417204. Your chart is adding all the pins and not just the bottom, master wafer, and control. Therefore your bottom-stack-totals are way off my chart.

My analysis of your first column is a bottom stack total of .247. Normally I might round this up to the next higher bottom stack total of .257 which would be a #1 cut. But, since this is the tip and less likely to wear than the bow pins, I would guess the the .002 difference might be due to accumulated dirt and go with a #2 depth. You can always cut a #1 and if it doesn't work, impression down to the #2.

Instead of impressioning, since the core is already stripped down, just load one column with bottom pin, master wafer, control pin and top pin. Put a probe or nail, etc down the top to apply a little pressure instead of a spring and file the blank until the control bar turns smoothly. Then remove these pins and put in the second column. Proceed through all seven columns. Or, insert all pins, spring, and cap on the tip column. File the blank until it works smoothly. Then add the next group and repeat.

Whatever the pins are this will give you a working key. Please let us know whether these are mixed up pins due to your friends help. Also we will want to know what your final solution is.

Thanks
Raymond