era decode system

by **steveny** » 1 Dec 2005 18:08

having just bought the securefast decoder and make up key from martin newton @safe ventures, and found it a great bit of kit, i bought an era decode system, which is descibed as easy to use and able to open locks in "2-3 minutes with a minimal amount of skill". now it might be me being particularly simple, but i cannot get a reading off either the old or new style invincible which corresponds with the figures on the chart. another locksmith from leeds who has been doind it for 20 years got one at the same time, and is having exactly the same trouble as me. is there anyone out there who has one of these, and can pass on any tips as to how to use it properly? Â£560 is a lot of brass to have sat in the back of the van gathering dust!!!!!! please help.

by **Wallaby** » 2 Dec 2005 1:41

I think this is one of the best SF kits and one of the most reliable. It works in the same way as the Avocet kit. I have not failed to pick an Invicible with it yet. It would seem that you have bought it without being shown how to use it which probably does not help.

It is important to understand where your initial reference point is and this changes for each lever as you work through the pack - an easy mistake to make. Also to understand and get the feel for the contact point - how many spaces passed before contact / after contact / how many before going solid etc.

Twenty minutes with somebody who knows how to use it and you will have it sorted.

by **nhughz** » 2 Dec 2005 1:43

Have you checked your using the correct reader pin.

by **EvoRed** » 2 Dec 2005 4:58

Arer you sure you're taking the readings when you're locking rather than unlocking?

by **Wallaby** » 2 Dec 2005 8:42

the beauty of this pick is that if there is any doubt in the reading, you can then use another reader pin, and if that does not work, use another .. you really cant fail but get it in the end and that should be about 10 mins max.

by **NKT** » 2 Dec 2005 12:03

Get yourself a cb pick, and you will be popping these in 5 minutes anyway!

by **EvoRed** » 2 Dec 2005 12:39

If you're doing warrant work, I'd much rather have the decoder to open them with. Pretty much guaranteed opening within 10 minutes and a key to lock up with afterwards.

I wouldn't say you're guaranteed to open them with the CB pick in 10 minutes, let alone 5! And then, for warrants, you've got to try setting the stump in the gates and applying tension when shutting the door, or go through the whole picking process again, to lock up, unless they've been kind enough to leave you a key in a drawer somewhere...

The CB pick, I agree, does open the Invincibles, although they are harder than the Profit's. You can feel what needs a low lift and what needs a high lift on these ERA's fairly easily by just flicking through the levers and lift each accordingly.

Sidetracking to the Profit, I try not to tighten the screw on this kit too much but this came back to haunt me on a warrant job last week where the pins fell out and into the lock when trying to open! Then picked it open in a couple of minutes easily as they were all high lifts, thankfully, and retrieved the pins! A lesson to tighten this screw a little more in future...

by **quicklocks** » 2 Dec 2005 13:28

evo they realy do open in 5 mins the quickest ive done it is 30secs no bull the cb is great at opening these locks as you can quickly decode the lock to pick it. it wont give you lever hights but if you only draw the bolt back enough to open door and the levers dont drop its ok. if the levers drop i whip the lock out the door and read the numbers off the levers i have a make up key to lock it . i rarley need to do this as most doors have a large gap anyway. if you saw my vid on these then you will see how easy they are.
we had members of the MLA who had never picked a lock opening these in around 5mins in bournmouth the other week after alittle instruction (5mins) and my 9 year old girl can do it
ask pinky he was there or chris b who ran the session

by **EvoRed** » 2 Dec 2005 13:36

I know what you're saying Quickie, I said you can't have a GUARANTEED opening in 5 or 10 minutes, although a lot will, granted.

I've opened them in 30 seconds before too, but I've also come across ones that just don't want to play at all. The decoder pretty much GUARANTEES an opening in under 10 minutes, usually less than 5.

I'm not knocking the CB pick at all, it's great. I'm just saying my preferred method is always the decoder, unless no time constraints, for the reasons stated.

Just my opinon, like...

by **EvoRed** » 2 Dec 2005 13:39

And why does everyone get nice big gaps to re-lock easily? Is it just me that always seems to get the gaps that are tighter than a nuns whatsit?!

by **quicklocks** » 2 Dec 2005 14:45

fair one i think got the wrong end of the stick :oops:

by **pinky** » 2 Dec 2005 17:46

The ERA decoder is a fine tool and a must for warrants, as stated already its a guaranted opening and normaly in around 3 to 5 mins.

for normal lockouts i prefer to pick these with a curtain pick, as this represents more of a buzz for me and is often quicker, i enjoy the buzz of beating this lock with a wire pick, its more about the buzz than the money.
But for warrants the decoder is a godsend as quick , reliable and totaly NDE , quicker than the drill with no chance of a _ up unlike the drill.

If you are having problems take the advice given already and;

1 ) ensure that the pick is in calibration, place the A pin in hole 1 and push slider , it should stop on line 1 exactly, then repeat with hole 2 should stop on line 2 exactly, continue through all positions to ensure proper calibration .

2 ) ensure there is not too much side to side movement on turning thumb hold, if there is tighten the screw until no movement side to side , but ensure pick still slides freely, being too loose can affect readings.

3 ) you must read tensioning to locking position

4 ) your tension must be spot on, not too much and not too little tension.

5 ) you must apply correct pressure when pushing slider so as not too miss contact point and so as not to push past a solid or a contact point, the pressure you apply is crucial to correct readings.

Did you have anyone train you on the picks use ? if not its going to be a learning process for you, learning correct pressures and tensions etc, trial and error.

But the pick is 100% accurate , its never let me down, nor most of the guys i know with it, i find these slide decoders more reliable than pin and cams and accurate at all times if used correctly.

I know its alot of cash, but you should have had training on it when buying to ensure correct use.

by **pcbear** » 10 Dec 2005 8:55

We have loads of Era sash and deadlocks around my way, where can i purchase this, either new or second hand with instructions, i'm fairly new on here and find it a facinating site, does it only work on era invincible locks? or does it work on the pro-fit by era as well??

by **Tattoo Guy** » 10 Dec 2005 10:11

I have the invincible decoder it's a great bit of kit but it doesn't do the profit as they are different guage keys so the decoder wont go into the profit.

If you come across a lot of profits you could also get the decoder for them from safe ventures http://www.safeventures.com all are very good tools.

by **Shrub** » 10 Dec 2005 13:22

Profits are very easy to decode by useing a blank key and some plastercine, its not worth buying a kit for :wink:

era decode system

era decode system

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