The new official Best SFIC Thread

[grit1]

Hello everyone - as I stated in my into in the general intro thread I'm relatively new to this board but not at all new to lock picking and the locksmith trade.

I am wondering what everyone's viewpoints are on picking SFIC cylindars, specifically those made by Best Access Systems. I have a set of Peterson "fingered" tension tools, and the slim gem that came with them, in addition to a large pickset consisting of the usual south-ord assortment. I have had some limited success in picking the regular operating shear line of SFIC cylinders but have yet been unable to pick the control lug with either conventional tension tools nor the peterson special tools. The spacing technique is kind of "fiddley" and although that's what pickers do - fiddle - it seems like there must be a better way. I haven't seen this topic brought up here lately so maybe some new ideas can be thrown into the mix.

Thanks! ~Grit.

[vector40]

I have heard very mixed impressions.

[Chucklz]

I often pick the control line of SFICs. I use a tension tool that has a slight downward bend and I wedge it into one of the small holes in the control lug, and of course in the plug. It works okay. The question with your Petersons wold be what keyway are you attempting to pick? Have you tried shimming the sides of your tension tool so that it sits more vertically in the keyway?

[devildog]

I gotta say that if you're just looking to get the sucker open then a bump key would be the best bet, but with regards to picking one just for the sake of seeing if you can do it, I can't really help you. I actually JUST FINALLY got some Best IC cores in the mail that I bought off of EBay--does anyone else have a hard time finding someone who sells Best IC cores? Getting the mortise cylinder to hold them was easy, but I looked through god-knows how many locksmithing sites before I gave up and just bought a bunch of used ones off of EBay

[Chucklz]

The issue I have is that the Falcon and Arrow cores are rather different animals from the Best ones, so that makes it even harder to find. However, there are usually a few cores available on ebay, mostly uncombinated.

Check this out
http://cgi.ebay.com/CUTAWAY-BEST-CYLIND ... dZViewItem

[devildog]

I thought Falcon and Arrow were just cheap knock-offs of Best. What makes them different? Good or bad?

[Chucklz]

Some of the keyways are different, and I beleive Arrow has a different control sleeve construction than the Best, so that the pronged tension tool does not work.

[wsbpress]

I also have the Peterson tension tools for the SFIC. I keep a small stash of those flat wood toothpicks with the tools to use as shims. Just cram one between one side of the tension tool and the keyway. I think I learned this on Peterson's website.

[grit1]

The instructions say to use flat tooth picks like that and I've been trying, but still don't have the knack. Has anybody ever tried picking an "H" keyway in Best SFIC this way? ~Grit.

[Chucklz]

If I remember correctly, H keyway is unpleasant all around. Best of luck
ahem.

[jimjamm04]

I dont know if any of you guys read this but take a look:

http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/sfic/index.html

[devildog]

I'm really glad someone bumped this thread; we get a lot of questions about Best, and I really think it would be a good idea to have an 'official' thread on it--can a mod sticky this?

I've just recently gotten back to picking my Best lock recently. I've had no trouble picking it open now that my skill has improved a lot, and I have to say that I MUCH prefer to go for the operating shear line instead of the control shear line--it's just easier to do that instead of having to fiddle around with the core and trying to keep it in the 'open' position so you can reinsert it after extracting it and working the two-prong thinky inside the cylinder to retract the bolt.

[jimjamm04]

What kinda skill level is a Best lock, a non-SFIC? I fiddle around with the one I got using make-shift tools and it gives me a hassle.

[devildog]

There's no such thing as a non-SFIC Best--that's their bread and butter, it's the only thing they really do (correct me if I'm wrong).

Bests really are tough locks to pick, not much else in the way of U.S. made locks is harder to pick than they are until you get into the high-security area. I know people have called the Schlage Everest 'medium security', but I definately wouldn't say that the Everest is as hard as a SFIC lock.

[jimjamm04]

I guess a pen clip and some paper clips won't do the trick. I was lookin through past posts and I found this pic:


"But enough rambling, here is the drawing: [/quote]"