False gates

[london_lad]

All

I have recently purchased a curtain pick which I have had some good success with. I can open BS locks without false gates in the leavers no problem, but I am strugging when it comes to era's and 114's etc because of the false gates in the leavers. I can get the bolt to move across slightly but then I hit a false gate and can't tell which leaver is the problem. I guess you must have to practice with these picks for hours to perfect them but just wondered if any of you guys could give me a few tips which may help.

I must say this forum is a great source of information and i'm glad to have stumbled upon it.

[illusion]

A lock without false gates is not a British Standard lock - regardless of whether it has a curtain or not.

You are using too much force to throw the bolt - this is what is causing you to slip into antipick. Just resting your hand on the handle of the curtain pick should be enough to avoid the false gates.

A lever that has it's false gate engaged by the bolt will not move at all and will feel completely jammed. A lever that has set to the true gate should have a certain ammount of play when lifted.

What curtain pick are you using? ERA Profit? Invincible?

Cheers,

Ben

[pinky]

dependent on what pick your using, will alter the way in which you pick the lock, for instance for picking ERA locks, a usefull link exists here already, but in essence, you gently run wire across the lever bellies and id the high and low lifts, then pick the high lifts to their gate, then nudge the low lifts to theirs, and if done right, you will miss all anti picks.

you will struggle on chubb 3G114 locks, even highly skilled pickers strugle hand picking these, which is why we prefer a pin and cam, the chubb 3U114 on the other hand is a doddle.

and as ben rightly said, if your lock has no false gates, then it isnt a bs lock at all.

[london_lad]

Thanks for the replies guys. I will try that technique where you lift the high lifts first, then the low lifts. Ben the pick i'm using is the CB 5g curtain pick.

[horsefeathers]

dependent on what pick your using, will alter the way in which you pick the lock, for instance for picking ERA locks, a usefull link exists here already, but in essence, you gently run wire across the lever bellies and id the high and low lifts, then pick the high lifts to their gate, then nudge the low lifts to theirs, and if done right, you will miss all anti picks.

I am still a bit hit and miss with ERAs in practise. But according to CB's own instructions, should you not seek out the 'resistant' levers first, regardless if they are high or low lifts? In theory, supposing levers 3 and 5 were low lifts. Sure, you could identify them, and the other higher lifts, but what if one of those low lifts was the most resistant lever? How would you be able to set the higher lift levers first given that they are not the ones offering 'resistance'? They would surely simply move up and down.

regards

[pinky]

if you lift the lows before the high lift, you will fail , as with the lows set, as soon as you lift a high it falls straight to the false gate, no where else it can go.
ive picked hundreds of these locks, i average a minutue a lock, as its a simple opening, but you must set the highs first, if you have 2 low lifts, then 1 can be set early, but your final lift must be a low to beat this lock consistently.
chris actualy picks all highs first then the lows, no other way.

the skill is in knowing the difference in feel between a false gate and a true gate, once this feel is mastered the lock is defeated.

the hardest era to pick is the one with all high lifts in.

[london_lad]

Pinky, how can you tell whether your in a false gate or a real gate ?

[illusion]

I already told you...

[bonez]

it's the slightest of movments!

all i can really say is hours and hours of practice mate.

take an era say pick it over and over again,take the levers out
and rearrange at random then do the same again pick it to death!

keep changing the pack around,sounds boring i know,but you will get the
feel of it.

keep trying jb.

[illusion]

That was bloody good advice bonez, and the only way to go about it.

Study the lock - see the shape of the false-notches, and understand what is happening when they are engaged. Keep practicing until you get the lock open, then change the levers to make you start from square 1. You need a good understanding of the lock, and only practice will help.

[quicklocks]

A lever that has it's false gate engaged by the bolt will not move at all and will feel completely jammed. A lever that has set to the true gate should have a certain ammount of play when lifted.

ok the era shoudn't take long to master honest.
take the cover off, leave 2 levers in a high and a low then se how they behave when you put pressure on the bolt and lift a lever

[bonez]

london lad

just a quick tip after you've set the high lifts and start to nudge
the low ones,nudge the high lifts again as you pass them.

i find this helps just to keep them in position.

j.

[toomush2drink]

You could also try drilling a hole so you can see the stump so at least you learn the difference in feeling between the false gates and real ones.When you think you have it sussed place a sticker over the hole.If at anytime your confused as to what is going on you can take a peak.This method will teach what exactly you are feeling as you will learn to visualise the inside of the lock as you pick it.

[pinky]

or purchase a set of plastic covers from sks for this lock as well as others.

[kwc]

Is there a good beginners guide to using these picks and also the terms explained, eg 7g, 6g high and low lifts etc.
Which set of picks are best for the job?
Thanks
Kev