Regarding Simple Lever Locks - A Complete Guide by illusion

by **SEVEN** » 29 Jul 2006 20:54

Been looking around this site for awhile now and have found your guides very informative.I recently attended a 2 day course that did not explain the method of picking these lock's half as well as you have.I understand that all lock's need different size pick's , could you name 1 that will do a wide range. :?:

by **Shrub** » 30 Jul 2006 13:49

Non curtained and useing a 2 in 1 pick they are all the same more or less, you simply take a file to the bits so they fit the lock you are picking,

As for a curtain pick for BS locks you will mostly come accross a 5g keyway so a pick of that size would be the most used one in your tool box,

Other than home made picks i personally only use CB's curtain picks but theres a few good ones on the market right now, make sure the one you are looking at will get under the low levers though for improving the range of locks they it will open,

The best tool is practise on mortice locks to be honest as thats the thing that opens locks, if you get good enough you can basically open most locks with just 2 wires,

by **MPXS-20** » 31 Jul 2006 11:22

There's just something about these old ones that I love...

I recently liberated a warded lock from my grandparent's old house that they bought and were reneuvating. They were getting rid of the door, and I'm sure as all of you do, I popped that akward statement, "All right! Can I have the lock?!" Yeah, well, after the looks subsided, they were happy to give me the lock...No key though...Oh well, I'll make my own eventually.

Yeah, I dunno... I Just like looking at these more than pin-tumblers, I guess.

by **dazza** » 27 Aug 2006 10:44

Shrub wrote:Non curtained and useing a 2 in 1 pick they are all the same more or less, you simply take a file to the bits so they fit the lock you are picking.

Hi shrub

i dont understand what bit do you have to file down if it doesnt fit the lock. do you get a few end/bits with the 2 in 1 and curtain picks . i thought that one was for turning bolt and other bit was for lifting the levers. i have never used a 2 in 1 or curtain pick sorry if this question is a bit stupid :oops:

illusion

I know its a bit late but very good sticky well done

by **Shrub** » 27 Aug 2006 11:13

Dont worry there are some good guides in the process of being made that will explain curtain picking and 2 in 1 picking but to answer your question now,

2 in 1 picks come mostly a certain size, as keyways are differant sizes what you then need to do is file down the bolt thrower and lever lifter parts so it fits the lock properly or else it simply wont work in the lock,

by **dazza** » 27 Aug 2006 11:36

Thanks shrub

The guides will be a good thing because you do get alot of posts about 2 in 1 and curtain picks from people like me who have never used one. and from people who are wanting to buy one. look forward to seeing them

thanks again

dazza

by **RangerF150** » 18 Feb 2007 7:16

Woohoo

I got a five lever "high security Chubb" lock open !
I bought a curtain lever pick, but it did'nt really work on the Chubb, I could not get it under some of the levers. I did as illusion did and made a perspex cover for the lock, so I could see what was going on.

Looked at it for a few days, went for a walk, and using a windscreen wiper wire I fashioned a "pick" that worked perfect :-)

Also I could not get the curtain pick into the lock with any ease, I had to take it apart and put it together in the lock ?

I tried it on a old Union five lever lock, but when I got it open I could not retract the bolt fully with the pick in the lock ?

Any advice on this pick would be great :-)

I got it from Safe Ventures, it's their Curtain Wheel Pick : http://www.safeventures.com/

Right now I am using just the "tension" part of the tool, and my own picks.
Any help on the proper use of this tool would be great.

by **Shrub** » 18 Feb 2007 14:50

If you look at the other stickies you will see my guide on the curtain locks,

The problem you have is that that curtain pick does not go under the low levers, how they still sell them i dont know as they are pretty worthless if they wont pick any number of locks but people see SV sell them and buy them in droves, the best avasilable is the Chris Belcher pick, its not a copy of others on the market like another firm does and its not got awkawrd handles or weak wires etc,

As for correct instruction, well my thread will sort that out for you i would expect,

by **RangerF150** » 18 Feb 2007 18:36

Shrub wrote:
The problem you have is that that curtain pick does not go under the low levers, how they still sell them i dont know as they are pretty worthless if they wont pick any number of locks but people see SV sell them and buy them in droves,

Yeah, like I did :-)

Anyway I am still looking at this thing, comparing it to the one you mentioned and don't see any reason that I can't mod it to get it working better.

I figure I just need to cut out a slot to allow the pick to be lifted out of the tool to go under the low levers.
A hacksaw some files and a coffee should do the trick!
I will post some before and after picks :-)

Thanks for the advice .

by **Shrub** » 19 Feb 2007 9:47

Too be honest it must be at least a year since i last saw a sv curtain pick and even longer since ive tried one so i cant comment effectively on your idea but on paper it sounds good,

There may also be an issue with the wire end in that case but without goign looking at the pick im unsure,

Would love to see your mods to it but would be tempted to make a new part than cut the original,

by **Gordon Airporte** » 19 Feb 2007 22:59

I obtained my first simple lever lock recently and made a pick out of the spare key and a length of coat hanger wire. The lock only has two levers, but neither one will set at all unless I compress the lever pack by pulling it in with the bolt tensioner. It's the only way I've found to pick this very simple and cheaply made lock.
Is it a common modification to higher security locks to put a fixed plate between the bolt and the levers to prevent this sort of thing? I'm amazed that adding something so simple would make a lock as dumb as mine unpickable.
(Well, I don't see any way around it off the top of my head...)

by **Shrub** » 20 Feb 2007 6:45

Im not 100% sure on the plate between the levers thing unless you mean spacers,

Squashing the lever pack while picking is the recconised way of sorting loose levers out, couple that with more tension and you should be fine,

by **helloman** » 12 Mar 2007 17:22

my parents own 2 apartments there both 90yrs old so they have lever locks and we had a locksmith make us keys and he said there were 2 kinds of lever locks what is the other kind than this?

by **Shrub** » 13 Mar 2007 8:51

I have no idea what your 'locksmith' was on about and i suggest neither did he :roll:

Lever locks are still made and used today and i would have one over any cylinder any day so the 90 years old part doesnt matter,

There are a few types of lever lock as in phisical types and these can be found once youve read some of the site,

There are only a couple of differances in the locks but all still work on the same princible again you will see this once youve read a bit,

by **josh0094** » 14 Dec 2007 1:13

i have seen this type of lock before i beleave... do they have to have warded keys?

Regarding Simple Lever Locks - A Complete Guide by illusion

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