How familiar are typical locksmiths with IC cores?

[WOT]

Best Access Systems should have never changed their core to use a C-clip on the end as it gives an illusion it's meant to be removed. The older version used riveted plates.

Some of the newest shipment of used cores I received shows signs of plug removal by using a key to turn the plug and removing the C-Clip.

Are most locksmiths aware that you should never disassemble a Best IC core in this manner?

[vrocco]

I would like to learn more about IC cores, but the equipment seems a pricey initial investment. I can pick up a pin kit and some various deadbolts and repin them all day long. But for IC I need a pinning block or whatever you call it. I will probably eventually learn more about them, but for the hobbiest who isn't a working lockie, it's a low priority.

Can you recommend some places to learn about IC? Books, web resources, etc.

Thanks!

[MBI]

What a coincidence that you posted this poll today. I just got back from a KeyMark SFIC factory certification class that I took this afternoon. I’ve read a lot about IC locks, but this was my first hands-on experience with them.

In addition to the course materials I got a free key gauge, a little Medeco screwdriver and a couple of lock cylinders out of the class. KeyMark IC cylinders are made so they can be disassembled, although as you mentioned that’s not the correct way to remove the pins. The face cap on the front of the shell is attached via a dovetail and can be changed if needed (by removing the plug first).

I was surprised to see that it not only uses some top spool pins, but certain sizes of the bottom pins are spool pins too. The top of the keyway is vertical where the pins are located, but the bottom section has an angled leg (anywhere from a 5 degree to an 85 degree angle) to allow numerous unique key profiles. I noticed that the angled leg also makes it so that the cylinder plug covers the ejector pin holes at the bottom, which means you can’t use an IC tensioner to pick it at the control shear line. I’ve seen some nasty paracentric keyways before, but these things are a bear. The picture below doesn’t really do it justice. I haven’t tried to pick it yet, but I monkeyed with it a little during the class and the only pick I have that can reach to the back of the keyway and still be able to maneuver around the wards is one of Locknewbie21’s extra long, slim hooks that I just bought from him last week. I’ll take some pictures of the pins and cylinders and post them later.

[maintenanceguy]

All of the locks in our district are yale IC cores. Not the small format cores that are most common.

We had a building built and the specs said that the locks installed had to have yale IC cores. Our exterior doors on final walk through had Best cylinders. We complained and the builder was going to change the hardware to fit the yale cores.

Unfortunately for us, yale has come out with the keymark cylinders mentioned above. These are the only yale cores to be interchangeable with best/falcon/arrow/etc. To safe money, he installed the keymark cylinders instead of changing to mortise cylinders that wold accept the yale cores we used everywhere else. He met the spec which only said "yale cores" but we now have doors that don't fit our key system in the rest of the district.

And I'll agree with MBI, spool pins, almost impossible to get a pick to even touch the pins, I've got a couple of cores on my desk that I can play with when I'm bored. Haven't picked one yet.

[WOT]

All of the locks in our district are yale IC cores. Not the small format cores that are most common.

We had a building built and the specs said that the locks installed had to have yale IC cores. Our exterior doors on final walk through had Best cylinders. We complained and the builder was going to change the hardware to fit the yale cores.

Unfortunately for us, yale has come out with the keymark cylinders mentioned above. These are the only yale cores to be interchangeable with best/falcon/arrow/etc. To safe money, he installed the keymark cylinders instead of changing to mortise cylinders that wold accept the yale cores we used everywhere else. He met the spec which only said "yale cores" but we now have doors that don't fit our key system in the rest of the district.

And I'll agree with MBI, spool pins, almost impossible to get a pick to even touch the pins, I've got a couple of cores on my desk that I can play with when I'm bored. Haven't picked one yet.

Seems to me the problem lies in whoever wrote the specifications. Certain institution I'm aware of specifies "lock hardware to be made by Schlage, Best and some other and to accomodate Best 7-pin IC core, cores to be furnished by dept of facilities mgmt"

If the contract didn't stipulate "door hardware to accomodate Yale full size IC core", then SFIC was not out of question.

[lostlink]

I would like to learn more about IC cores, but the equipment seems a pricey initial investment. I can pick up a pin kit and some various deadbolts and repin them all day long. But for IC I need a pinning block or whatever you call it. I will probably eventually learn more about them, but for the hobbiest who isn't a working lockie, it's a low priority.

Can you recommend some places to learn about IC? Books, web resources, etc.

Thanks!

Lucky for me, my workplace has a press, but I still prefer capping no more than 2 chambers at a time.....

[maintenanceguy]

Seems to me the problem lies in whoever wrote the specifications. Certain institution I'm aware of specifies "lock hardware to be made by Schlage, Best and some other and to accomodate Best 7-pin IC core, cores to be furnished by dept of facilities mgmt"

If the contract didn't stipulate "door hardware to accomodate Yale full size IC core", then SFIC was not out of question.

Absolutely right. The architect screwed up. But we also reviewed the specs and had no idea that yale made a sfic core, maybe they didn't when the specs were written 4 years before construction, which is probably 7 or 8 years ago. So when the specs said for Yale IC core, we all thought that was sufficient. In fact, when we added this item to the punch list, we never knew that these cores were available. The contractor provided cores as per the spec, just not what we wanted.