Best SFIC

[sucker]

My work recently changed all the cores in the building and I was the lucky enough to get the old cores and keys. The cores are mainly J and G keyways and my problem seems to be different from other people. I can consistently pick these to the control line but for the life of me I can not pick the lock to open. Is there a different technique for picking to open it?

[Wizer]

I googled it, and this article by Matt Blaze explains alot about your lock.
http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/sfic/
Happy picking!

[thelockpickkid]

I also have this problem, I can pick the plug out 90 percent of the time on most best locks, I have a homemade tension wrench that grabs the control sleeve, however Peterson makes the best tool with the fingers, my design doesn't use the fingers to grab the sleeve, I have my own design that seems to work really well. Always remember though, your not defeated if you can only manage to pull the core and not pick the lock to the open position, your actually killing two birds with one stone, the lock is as good as picked when the core is removed!!

[Solomon]

I've seen these before, they look pretty interesting. Is a dedicated tension tool really necessary though? Looks like once you have all the pins set, you could just use a hook pick to push the control sleeve down through the notches individually.

[FarmerFreak]

I've seen these before, they look pretty interesting. Is a dedicated tension tool really necessary though?

Nope it isn't required. But it does make it so that you are only dealing with one shear line instead of two! When you are dealing with multiple shear lines it can be difficult to line up all the pins on only one shear line. Sometimes when you pick it, it is easier to pick it open, and sometimes easier to the control sleeve.

Looks like once you have all the pins set, you could just use a hook pick to push the control sleeve down through the notches individually.

Actually you would still turn the control sleeve with a tension wrench. It all depends on whether the pins are set to the control sleeve shear line, or the regular shear line.

[Solomon]

Nope it isn't required. But it does make it so that you are only dealing with one shear line instead of two! When you are dealing with multiple shear lines it can be difficult to line up all the pins on only one shear line. Sometimes when you pick it, it is easier to pick it open, and sometimes easier to the control sleeve.

Cool. I need to get my hands on one of these to have a fiddle at it. My understanding of things only goes so far until I have them in my hand.

Actually you would still turn the control sleeve with a tension wrench. It all depends on whether the pins are set to the control sleeve shear line, or the regular shear line.

That makes sense. So, if the pins are set to the control sleeve shear line, the plug will turn as normal without having to manipulate the control sleeve? And what I originally meant by my original question was, once all the pins are set (and the control sleeve is preventing the plug from rotating), is it just a simple act of maintaining tension and poking the control sleeve down through the little notches until it sets? I haven't seen a cutaway diagram of these locks, so I'm not familiar with them. Hopefully my questions aren't too silly.

[FarmerFreak]

prevent the control sleeve from turning.

If you aren't familiar with the way these are pinned. Here is a quick rundown. There are 10 depths for the keys, 0-9. In a pin kit there are 0-9 key pins, and master/control/driver pins 2-19. When keying the change/master keys, you key them like normal,.... if it has a 3 depth in the first chamber you use a #3 key pin. Now to key the control key. Let's say it has a #7 depth in that same chamber. The control sleeve is 10 depths higher than the regular shear line. So add 10 the the control keys depth. Instead of a 7 it is a 17, and we already have a #3 key pin. So you put in a #14 control pin. After that you need a driver pin. All pin stacks should be keyed to a total height of 23. 23-17=6, so a #6 driver pin. Then the spring and a cap.

Maybe that wasn't quick. But if you ever key up several hundred of them it gets pretty simple... ..I hope you never have to key up that many.

[shaothegreat]

I just got my Falcon 7-pin SFIC core (A keyway I think) in the mail today and have managed to pick it to the control line twice within the first 5 minutes of owning it. All this reading had me hyped up to deal with a real beast but instead I find myself with a relatively tame pick. The operating line though... that's another story...

Shao

[thelockpickkid]

I just got my Falcon 7-pin SFIC core (A keyway I think) in the mail today and have managed to pick it to the control line twice within the first 5 minutes of owning it. All this reading had me hyped up to deal with a real beast but instead I find myself with a relatively tame pick. The operating line though... that's another story...

Shao

Falcon SFIC core's are easy, they are not in the same category as a best in my own opinion. I can pick these cores out any time. Look at my youtube video!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eDx2W6pBQo I made my first video taking the core out of a falcon, not a great video, but you can see how easy it is.

[shaothegreat]

Hmmm... Must try a best now... I've found that the secret to this core is to use harder than usual tension and to keep going even after you think you may have overpicked it. I can rake it to operating with a double mountain rake and SPP it to the control line within a few tries now consistently. Now if only I had a padlock to put this thing in, I could finally rest my aching fingers...

[ridinplugspinnaz]

After scanning the thread, I'm surprised to find that no one suggested that you simply try picking the lock counterclockwise to avoid picking the control shear line. If the core is already set in the lock (heck, even if it isn't), it will be very difficult to pick the control line when tensioning counterclockwise, since the retaining tab of the lock is already at full CCW throw.

Give that a try and see if picking the operating shear line gets any easier, I'd be curious to know.

[thelockpickkid]

After scanning the thread, I'm surprised to find that no one suggested that you simply try picking the lock counterclockwise to avoid picking the control shear line. If the core is already set in the lock (heck, even if it isn't), it will be very difficult to pick the control line when tensioning counterclockwise, since the retaining tab of the lock is already at full CCW throw.

Give that a try and see if picking the operating shear line gets any easier, I'd be curious to know.

I study Best locks, they are my favorite lock of all time, the lock won't open by simply picking it CCW, there is more to it than that, but your right on one point, it won't pick to the control line this way. I have a special way of opening Best locks, I figure I can open just about any in nearly 5 minutes or less, I have found a trick or two.

[Eyes_Only]

For those who have the Peterson control sleve tension tool, how do you keep it from tilting and popping out of the holes of the sleeve? I bought them a few years ago but never could get them to work.

[thelockpickkid]

For those who have the Peterson control sleve tension tool, how do you keep it from tilting and popping out of the holes of the sleeve? I bought them a few years ago but never could get them to work.

I made my own and I have found that it doesn't always have good results for some reason, mine doesn't pop out but it doesn't always turn the sleave on some locks.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

For those who have the Peterson control sleve tension tool, how do you keep it from tilting and popping out of the holes of the sleeve? I bought them a few years ago but never could get them to work.

The instructions that come with them explain it.

I just put it in their like normal and then pull to the right so it's binding on the keyway ward(s) - depending on the keyway - along with the control sleeve. I only had to drill 3-4 of them out when I couldn't pick the control shear line out in the field when I realized I needed a set of those wrenches. Life savers I tell ya.