SFIC stand for: Small Format Interchangeable Core.
Wiki:
The modern interchangeable core - and all other cores, as well - actually has its roots in a bulkier, pedestal-shaped removable configuration developed in 1919 by Frank Best, then proprietor of Best Universal Lock Company. Frank Best's family business lineage has since expanded over the years but, currently, is most recognizable via the two competing Indianapolis, Indiana area entities generally referenced with his surname: Best Access (Stanley Security Solutions, Inc dba Best Access Systems) and Best Security (Marshall Best Security Corp).
When I first started getting in to SFIC, the first thing I noticed was the price. IF you don't know where to look, these cost an arm and a leg.
Most locksmiths I talked to don't even work on them. And as a result don't have much of it around, don't know a lot about them, and will just drill them out when faced with them. Finding SFIC stuff locally might not be an option, or might cost a lot.
The first SFIC I bought was an A keyway Best. The core everyone pictures in their head when you say SFIC. 6 Pins, chrome, says best on the IC. $65. It came with 2 keys, 1 access, 1 control. Even on Ebay.ca, a single best A keyway SFIC can still go for over $30 after shipping.
I wanted a good sample set to work with. Different brands and types etc... So I asked around, and found a new Medeco (keymark) x4. 7 pins, 2 sliders on the side, 1 control key, 1 access key. $40. I thought I got a good deal.
Then I found Tim Monte. For about the price I paid for the medeco, ($45) I got 2 Falcon and 2 best cores. One of each chrome and brass, 3 keys for each, all different keyways, all pinned different. 2 access 1 control. Used, but just serviced and pinned up new. They came individually bagged, clean and in very nice shape. He included a printout of all the bitting information for each core (all the pins, not just the key pins). He will also do master keying and all that good stuff.
For someone like me, who just wants to learn more about SFIC and get a good sample set to play with. Tim is just what we need!
He says he has thousands, and his prices are unbeatable! I'll be placing another order soon, just to get a couple more brands I don't already have. I have a printout of his price list if anyone is interested, but I suggest emailing him if you have any questions. [EDIT: email address removed]
So what I've found so far, is that brands don't make much of a difference. The format is so tight fitting, there is literally no room for any real variation. There are 5 - 6 and 7 pin versions, the only difference is the length of the IC. Most companies will use standard best keyways, so finding keys generally isn't very hard. Unless you have a restricted keyway (like the medeco). Most the older stuff is no longer restricted and is easy to find.
They don't have any security pins, unless someone has opened it and done some work, they are all standard pins. Because there are two shear lines in these locks, you have to match one of the two bittings to access or control the lock. You cannot mix the two bittings while picking, even one pin in the wrong shear line and the core will not turn. So the security in these locks are in the complexity of the cores. They are pickable, they are rakeable. They just freeze up more than most locks due to the constant over/under setting of pins. This makes them perfect for raking, you're just playing the odds. Rake for 10 seconds, reset, try again. Do it till it opens or gives you control. Because you can rake fast, and reset fast, it's much quicker than SPP in most cases. where you can SPP it till it doesn't have anymore feedback, reset it and try again, takes a lot longer.
After about a week of playing with these sfic cores, I've come to like the quality of the product. Also I can see how easy it would make it to manage large amounts of locks in a short period of time. They pick a lot like a lock with master pins, except you can set the wrong pin and not know it. So when SPPing I treat them like serrated pins, one click at a time. These are definitely fun to pick and examine. So grab a couple SFIC padlocks and some cores, and go to town!
