What's the most used pick for BS mortice locks?

[Adam]

Sorry if this is a common question!

I'm interested in buying a pick set to bypass BS locks. I know some do some and don't do others but would really appreciate your opinion on this.

[EvoRed]

Do you mean a decoder set like the Safeventures kits or a curtain wheel pick? If curtain pick then a search should tell you everything you need to know.

If a Safeventures kit then you're probably best getting the Union plasticine impression kit first at £170+VAT. This will pick/decode the Union BS 2134, Yale BS, Ingersol BS and Chubb BS 3U114.

[toomush2drink]

Find out what is fitted in your area and get that one, that way your get more use from it at the beginning

[Wallaby]

I agree Toomush, I would not buy the union kit if my area was fitted with era profits, securefast or chubbs ... pays to find our first ...

the union kit is £190 plus vat by the way .....

[EvoRed]

...presuming your area is predominantly fitted with a certain BS lock then yes, of course... My area doesn't appear so.

In this case, the Union has been of most use to me so far... And I paid £170+VAT for mine and this is also what's stated on Safeventures site but it may have changed.

[acl]

Does anyone find themslves coming up against more eras than say unionsin certain areas ?I end up working all over the place but i still couldnt equate one area with a certain lock(not bs wise anyway) i know you see more Banhams and Ingersolls in the big smoke and ive seen some strange locks in Coventry but all in all it seems to be a bit mixed.Let us know whats common in your patches
Andy

[pinky]

i can tell you that notts is mostly legge value bs , derby the same as these are fitted by the city councils, leicester are starting to fit chubb 3k70 to council properties, coventry like the coventry handle ( but most are an easy opening as already coach bolted, the warrant guys will know what i mean).

kettering corby and northampton is largely union , sheffield have started moving to profit as have guildford.

you will never get 1 pick to cover your whole area, though buy the picks for what your housing associations and councils fit, and you wont go on.

adam currently only 2 types of universal pick for all or most bs locks exists, one is a pin and cam with detachable heads and different pin sets for 30 bs locks at £8000 , the other is the humble curtain pick, but this requires skill and years of practice, oh and the third is to often prefered , the drill.

mostly its 1 pick for 1 model of lock, ie era have 4 models, theres 4 picks, though if you play and make up pin sets then its possible that many do alot more than advertised.

[acl]

pinky are they actually called a coventry handle ?Ive come up against few of these,first time i struggled to find 2 coachbolts in the van,havent been caught out again!
Andy

[pinky]

rereading your post adam, it seems you have the misconception that 1 pick does all, sorry mate, as stated its mostly 1 pick does 1 model only.

no cheap way of non destructively opening these suckers.

if you was to work out all the plastercine readings and decipher what height each mark refers to you could buy a good cut to code machine and make loads of reader keys and comparrison charts, you then read the lock with the reader key and cut the key.
another way is to scope the lock.

but the kits are a cheaper option than the cut to code machine.

[Adam]

Cheers all, your info is very much appreciated.

I'll check out safeventures and see what's best suited.