picked a Best IC core...

[Peter Martin]

I opened a 7-pin Best IC core on my apartment complex door. If I have the design idea correct, the 7th--the final pin--is what holds the core in. Is this correct--or does the Best IC cylinder have an entirely different "master" pin combination to remove the cylinder???

The cylinder only turned about 20 degrees and came out in my hand. I could then open the door with a screwdriver, and replace the core (which I held tightly in the picked position) once the door was open.

After examination, I picked it open a second time--and exactly the same thing happened... the cylinder came out. I there a method to pick this cylinder to the "open" position, and NOT pick it to the removeable position?

I used a combination of an HPC "snake" rake, medium tension, and then maintaining/holding the tension, picked the few remaining pins individually.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Pete

[vector40]

Yes, there's a different shearline on each pin for the "operating" (just open it) versus the "control" (remove the core) positions. You also rotate the plug the opposite direction, I believe.

There are a few ways to isolate one shearline, but it's not a great situation. Which is a problem, because you need to hit each pin on only one or the other or it won't open. You can use a special IC tension tool, which will apply tension only to the control sheath and therefore pick to control... or I think some people feel that ordinary tension has a habit of applying to one or the other anyway, which I guess you've observed. Or you can just get lucky.

[n2oah]

I think you just got lucky. If the the lock has seven pins, the chances are very slim (said to be 1 in 128 for 7 pins and 1 in 64 for 6 pins) that you will set only the control pins or only the operating pins. (without an IC tension wrench) IC cores are also very hard to pick(particularly Best) because they have insane keyway designs.
Best has now made control sleeves that the IC tensor can't be used on. They are hollow at the bottom like this:
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There are some VERY good animations of best cores being picked on this site: http://deviating.net/lockpicking/15.01-sfic.html To page through them, use the "next" button in the lower right corner.

[Peter Martin]

The keyway is very slim and didn't give me any room to make much movement--particularly for the back pins. It took me 15 minutes the first time, the second time was a lot faster.
On the plus side: I don't think this lock has any spool drivers.
I used the HPC "snake" rake which has the deeper cuts--the double ended pick one with the half-diamond on the other end. Then went over the pins with a hook.
I'll try opposite turning tension to see if the lock picks to the "open" position and not the "control" position.
I will also check to verify it's a 6-pin, but when I checked I was sure I counted 7... but heck, I could be hallucinating again! I hate it when that happens!

[TOWCH]

My experience with SFIC padlocks has been both control and operating are clockwise. I've found ripping to be one of the most effective ways to pick these locks.

[rakemaster]

The 7th pin thing is for large format IC, which best isn't.

In addition to the above link, there's an SFIC page somewhere on http://www.crypto.com/ .

[vector40]

What IS a large format IC, anyway? Is it just... larger?

[n2oah]

What IS a large format IC, anyway? Is it just... larger?

I am pretty sure that it is just larger, but I could be wrong.

[rakemaster]

It uses a different mechanism. A little larger (not much) than an sfic, but the main dif. is that there's no control shear line. Instead there's an extra pin at the end that holds the core in place. Control keys are just regular keys that are a little longer to engage the pin (so you have all the info to make a control key from a regular key, unlike with sfic).

[vector40]

So they're easier to pick -- as long as you can engage that last pin? It's like a Schlage Everest, then?

[rakemaster]

So they're easier to pick -- as long as you can engage that last pin? It's like a Schlage Everest, then?

Right (except the last pin is just in a normal position at the end).

[vector40]

Does anyone have a picture of how these look from the outside? It'd be nice to be able to identify them.

[rakemaster]

So they're easier to pick -- as long as you can engage that last pin? It's like a Schlage Everest, then?

Also, if you don't engage the control pin it opens normally (so at least you get the lock open as a consolation prize).

[rakemaster]

Does anyone have a picture of how these look from the outside? It'd be nice to be able to identify them.

No pics here, but they look just like an SFIC figure 8 only slightly larger. (usually use normal pins and take normal size keys (except the ctl key of course)).

[n2oah]

The Best core in the picture below is a SFIC, the Schlage is a LFIC