Making Falle Curve Picks

[stick]

I've been seeing a lock of posts about trying to get Falle templates to print out to the right size, etc etc. Use your brains, people! Don't limit yourself to simply what John Falle designed. Here's a short guide to designing curve picks, because I was really bored.

You'll need to decide what lock you'll be using your pick in. Falle curve picks are generally only useful in very open keyways. It'd be next to impossible to use in, say, an SC1 keyway, but a KW1... Plenty of locks lying around with that keyway, it's nice, it's open, so it's time to take a few quick measurements.

Note the distance between whatever you'll be pivoting the pick off of (in the case of the KW1 keyway, the lower ward) and the bottom of the pins, marked as length A.


Next, note the length of the key from tip to bow, doesn't have to be as exact as length A, just make sure your pick is long enough to actually pick the lock. The length is marked as length B.


I drew this on a Post-It I had nearby, you should draw this on whatever you're using to help Dremel/grind your stock down to the right shape. Draw a square with length B, height A.


Make a mark above the bottom edge that'll mark the approximate width of the tang of the pick.


Draw a nice smooth curve from the top left corner, to the mark you just made, to the top right corner. Draw another one parallel (concentric, whatever you call two arcs like that), and you'll have the shape of the pick.


Stick it onto your stock and grind away, here's my first attempt from a while ago.


Now you have a Falle curve pick specially fit to your KW1 (or whatever else) keyway that will easily reach every pin with little to no disturbance of neighboring pins. Start experimenting with other designs, making the pick longer for example, or don't use a perfect arc, instead going with a design like this:


That one sorta looks like a rotated hook a bit, but it was a quick drawing in Paint, so leave me alone. The point is, don't limit yourself to what Falle designed, just because it works, doesn't mean you can't make a better one.

[n2oah]

About the first picture: (the face of the lock)
You must have really shaky hands, you kinda missed the keyway a couple of times

[stick]

That had been on my door for years until I replaced it about four years ago, after which it tumbled around in various boxes until I picked up lockpicking. It was one of the first locks I picked, and I undoubtedly added a few of those scratches with picks.

[cracksman]

Stick,
You can actually use Falles on paracentric keyways.
In your example you probably would use the bottom
section of "A" out of laziness, and given the fact the
lock is of poor quality. You would also use the same
approach for most basic padlocks.

As far as the reach of Falles go, I can set the 6 pin
of an American padlock cylinder with the 6-pin a 7
cut and the 5 pin a zero (using Master padlock pins)
take a look at the Lock-Share thread you'll see it is
a tough lock. I have not been able to make that pick
with another brand (I only have Peterson, Southord,
and home-made to compare with though).

I've personally been pushing the Falle templates,
and the Peterson Reach precisely because they can fit
tight keyways, and crack locks that otherwise I can't
crack.

I'm a relative noob here and I don't even know exactly
what the sc1 keyways comprise of, but I do know these
picks easily go up through, Schlage's best level 2, as well
as Ilco mortice 6pins, and tight Abus paracentric 6-pins,
without a problem.

The double sided Falle curves 1-6 have replaced everything
except a Peterson short hook for me. Essentially what this
means is that a new picker, can confidently use the skills
learned here to create picks that will get them up to
high-security locks for about $50 and some work. At that
point, they could pick all the locks I can (Yes, I know
my skills aren't impressive) and save about $600.

I'm not advocating buying any particular brand, I'm
simply telling people what works for me, and providing
a template how to make them.

[n2oah]

Paracentric keyways lost the status of a high security feature when bumping was re-introduced.
Anyways, paracentric keyways provide an interesting picking experience. I can't wait for my set of Peterson (with rubber handles) to arrive so I can get a picking on the paracentric lock I have.

Wow, the topic wasn't even about paracentric keyways.

[zeke79]

Speaking of paracentric, heres one I ran into the other day.

[cracksman]

Zeke, that thing is nuts

I'd love to see what the key looks like
Is that one of the keyways that sticks you with
a poison pin if you pick it wrong

[stick]

cracksman, get a picture with a pick in a keyway that's not so open? I'd love to see how you're fitting one in easily.

The SC1 keyway is the standard Schlage keyway. I guess you could pivot the pick off the side of the keyway, but I'm too lazy to try it right now.

[devildog]

Yeah, I really have to say I think that you're seriously underestimating the falle curve design; as I believe cracksman (or someone who has the falles) said, when they say on safeventures that the falle basic set will "open approximately 95% of all 5 & 6 Pin Tumbler Locks", they're underestimating . They're not even the including lever and wafer locks which the kit is also equipped to handle . I'd actually have to say that the falles will work with a wider range of locks than a standard pick set, even a large one like a Peterson Gov. III , slimlines and all . I have much less trouble getting a falle-style curve hook into locks than I do with some of the standard hooks and diamonds, which seem cramped in comparison, especially in tighter keyways like Schlage.

[vector40]

Deep curves are only one of the types of picks in the Falle set.

[n2oah]

Deep curves are only one of the types of picks in the Falle set.

Nope. The Falle set from safevetures has lever wires, sawtooth rakes, hooks, and the deep curves.

[vector40]

You just said "nope" and then agreed with me, n2oah.

[n2oah]

You just said "nope" and then agreed with me, n2oah.

Whoops. I read that wrong. Its 3am and drowsiness is kicking in.

[stick]

Well, I'm not surprised I underestimated these picks, as they do carry a hefty price.

I don't know why I ever thought it'd be hard to use in a SC1 keyway, but it fits just fine, and there's room for improvement on the shape of the pick, as the only one I can find right now is made for KW1 keyways.

Time to reprint your templates and check my picks against the actual Falle ones.

[zeke79]

:lol:

Zeke, that thing is nuts

I'd love to see what the key looks like
Is that one of the keyways that sticks you with
a poison pin if you pick it wrong

I'll dig around to see if I can find the key and get some pictures up. I am assuming you want a profile picture from the end of the key correct?