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Can someone tell me how a i-core works. Do you need a special tension wrench. A link to a illustration would be nice if you have one. Thanks

LFIC: you need to manipulate the control pin, and everything else is the same as a standard lock.

SFIC:
They have two shear lines. One for control, one for operating.

I haven't had any success picking it myself, but some pickers prefer to use a comb shaped wrench to torque the control lug to get the core out.
http://www.peterson-international.com/i-CORE.htm

i advise anyone wanting to learn about i-cores to read matt blaze's article on them.
it is here
http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/sfic/

Can someone help to explain why it is important to torque the control sleeve instead of applying torque to the operating sheer line.

while applying torque to the operating line, it applies torque to it, plus the control line,, with pins catching at both sheerlines.. while applying torque to just the control line, the pins will only catch at it, not the operating line...

You can torque the control shear line specifically by using a IC wrench that locks into the ejector ports in the bottom of the control sleeve (clockwise torque). If you pick it this way successfully the plug will turn about fifteen degrees and the control lug will retract allowing you to remove the core. However the lock is not opened; you will need to reach in to the lock body (in the cavity where the core was) with thin needle nose pliers and manually turn the fork (you'll know it when you see it) to retract the latch/bolt. This is a good method to use if you want to decode the bitting of the core, obtaining, at the least, the control key and a working key (although by decoding only one lock it will be difficult to determine the exact cuts for a specific key, if it is masterkeyed. SFIC can only have a total of 3 keys pinned to a core: Control, Operating, and if desired one Master. So when you decode an operating keys bitting from one mastered core it will most likely be a combination of master key and operating key bittings which will work for that core but not another in the group with a different "change" aka operating key) If you do this you will then have a control key that can work a group of locks rather than having to pick them all. You could also just pick as normal for the operating shear line; this will open the lock as a normal key would. The only reason to pick the control shear line is to remove the core. Of course you'll occasionally, "accidentally" pick the control when you're trying to pick the operating shear. If you decide to decode SFIC just remember: 23 is the magic number.

Just a note. I can pick these all day long with regular tools,but not to control.When I use my manual snap gun however,I can often get the control in seconds. I have gotten this affect on several sfic's. I don't know why it works. It works better for me than the special tension wrench. Quirky.