Peterson Tension Tool For Everest Locks

[ruski]

Do you think petersons tension tool for schlage everest locks is worth $50.00? I also have another question, what tension tool should I use for picking these kinds of locks? Would a wishbone work? Or just a standard wrench.

[stick]

As far as I know, there's a reason you need that tension tool. There's some retaining pin in there that needs to be lifted in order for the lock to turn. Paying $50 doesn't seem worth it though. Matt Blaze suggests cutting up an Everest key, and that seems like it would work well, if not slightly reducing the amount of space you have to work in.

[ackhoffman]

Definately not worth it. Any peice of metal that fits at the bottom of the keyway will do.

[Davis]

Yes, there is definitely a reason why Peterson makes this set of tension wrenches. Schlage Everest locks have a spring-loaded locking pin on the bottom of the plug, which locks into a hole in the bottom of the cylinder, unless it's lifted by the
key, or some artificial device.

Personally, I wouldn't spend $50 dollars on a tool like you're talking about, though. I would take the metal inserts from windshield wipers, then grind and sand them until they fit in that groove, and then pick normally. I haven't tried this, but in my mind, it seems like it would work.

Anybody else have ideas for this?

[aussielocky]

Worth it ? depends how you value your time .. if you have to go out and reliably open one of these with no time to custom make and file a tool then $50 is chicken feed.

However if you picking for fun and only have one to do then just bend and file something to suit. To answer your other question, no a wishbone or a standard wrench will not work.

[raimundo]

or you can find one of those flat toothpicks and push that in the groove until it lifts the checkpin and then the lock is just fivepin schlage.

[Raymond]

That nasty little groove where the pin is hiding includes a very thin, sharp pointed edge. Whatever you put in there will have to be filed to a knife edge to adequately lift the pin. If you cannot get an old Everest key to cut down then Raimundo's used tooth pick is most cost efficient.

[raimundo]

the toothpick will lift the pin while you pick the lock, and that is what the question addressed, but removing the toothpick could be difficult if you dont have a thin broken key remover. If you take the lock off and apart is should be ok.

when I answer a question about picking and recommend a drop of oil or use a toothpick that is a solution to picking the lock, not about servicing the lock for maximum use.

[FarmerFreak]

Lately I've been picking these with a standard rigid tension wrench and a Peterson government steel slender hook pick. Or a Peterson Gem pick (for radical combinations), but you can't reasonably get at the check pin with the gem.

Top of keyway tension. When the check pin needs to be lifted (because it's binding), you just put the hook pick in the bottom of the keyway sideways. Usually the check pin is either picked first or last, rarely is it binding while the other pins are binding.

As far as getting that special tension wrench. That would be a big NO. The other posters have already mentioned some easy ways to bypass it, cutting a key down or using a toothpick will work just fine.

[zeke79]

You can file down a wiper insert as stated or simply lift the check pin with a hook pick after you can no longer get any more of the standard pin stacks to set anymore. That is how I do it. There is a video of it on my site www.locksportarchives.com .

[FarmerFreak]

I was having a little fun with this video. But if you look close you can see the effectiveness of turning your pick sideways to get at the check pin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZpuD8T0vxw

...If there are any questions about why I would ever try to pick a lock while doing this kind of balancing act. Just defer to the fact that I'm strange.

[Josh K]

Lately I've been picking these with a standard rigid tension wrench and a Peterson government steel slender hook pick. Or a Peterson Gem pick (for radical combinations), but you can't reasonably get at the check pin with the gem.

Top of keyway tension. When the check pin needs to be lifted (because it's binding), you just put the hook pick in the bottom of the keyway sideways. Usually the check pin is either picked first or last, rarely is it binding while the other pins are binding.

As far as getting that special tension wrench. That would be a big NO. The other posters have already mentioned some easy ways to bypass it, cutting a key down or using a toothpick will work just fine.

+1. TOK tension and "pluck" the retaining pin first, then proceed to normal picking.

I found the tolerances a bit more satisfying with the Everest compared to normal Schlage locks. Could just be my perception though.