New to Locks

[itsmike2k]

Kaba Peaks.JPG

Hi my name is Mike, Im a Carpenter by trade. I have dealt with installation wide variety of commercial locks, motley IC small and large format, some schlage. My experience is limited to installing the lockset and cores with supplied control and access keys. So I haven't ever really got into actually picking, pinning, decoding etc.. Recently i bought a lot of old levers, mortise knobs, padlocks and rim mortice, some with a key or too most with out.. A lot of best A and K keyways, corbin and some SFIC Kaba Peaks. So it has sparked some interest on the inter working, pinning, picking and decoding so i can have some functional keys .. So thats what bring me to your little community.. I will be looking for some SFIC tools, like drill templates, dump/decoding blocks tensioners, picks etc. to further my education and field work. And of course a lot of help from the experts on here .. Here is a pick of one of my Levers that i don't have any keys for..

Thanks, and ill post some more of my collection later..

Mike

[MBI]

Welcome to the forum!

[LockMan789]

That picture is a bit dark, but awesome set of locks and that's a heck of a keyway. I have a SFIC (A) keyway on the way. I have a Schlage (C) keyway LFIC with working key, but no control key.

[.45cal]

Welcome to KP I'm sure you will find what you are looking for and more here.

[jeffmoss26]

Welcome, looking forward to seeing pics of your collection. I have one PEAKS core with control and operating keys, they are not easy to find!

[Oldfast]

Welcome Mike.... I'm Mike.

[itsmike2k]

Thanks for the warm welcome.. Yea thats pretty much the keyway. here is a couple more picks of the same keyway, not sure if its the same control/access keys though. I have at least 4 Peaks with this keyway but I dont have any keys.. Might cut open the knob or a rim to get the keyway out if i can't pick it to control.. Is there any way to identify the keyway and get blank keys for these cores?

[GilaGuy]

Welcome!

[MBI]

Is there any way to identify the keyway and get blank keys for these cores?

There are three different Kaba Peaks lines of locks: Classic, Global and Preferred, and there are many different keyways within each product line.
They don't advertise how many there are but there are probably a lot of them because one of their biggest selling points is patented key-control and keyway-exclusivity.
They like to market them to large institutions, like universities, airports, city governments, large businesses with multiple building campuses, etc.

Yours are probably Peaks Classic, and if so the patent expired on June 8, 2010. In that case, legally there would be nothing preventing a company from making aftermarket blanks, but I haven't been able to find any when I've gone looking for them.
Due to the number of keyways, I guess it just hasn't been cost effective to do so.

While not impossible, it could be tough to find blanks. Your best bet is to find someone clearing out old stock, maybe on ebay.
I don't know which keyways yours are, but I can tell you they aren't the Kaba Peaks C1 or C2 keyways, which as far as I know are the more common ones.

But I'm no expert. With any luck one of our locksmiths on the forum is a Kaba Peaks dealer and can shed some more light on it.

[itsmike2k]

So what's the best drill jig for SFIC cores that the cores can still be decoded after drilled? I've seen a couple that utilize a key that you cut the top off to place the jig, what if you can't locate a key that fits the keyway? Also I am interested in a dumping block so I can start trying to decode some of my cores. After I decode will most lock shop cut keys to code or is there any online options that I can email the key code to and get keys? I have a couple best a keyway cores that I have a control key and one access, if the core is mastered I should be able to decode master, right? Guess I need to clear a big space on my workbench for my new hobbie:). What's the best pics and tension tools to start with??

Thanks for the info

Mike

[Aedalas]

What's the best pics and tension tools to start with??

Thanks for the info

Mike

For picks http://www.clifflockpicks.com is worth a look. They're made by a member here that goes by Locksmitharmy. You can read all about its creation here. For tension wrenches I would suggest making your own. If not that then Sparrows maybe, or ask around here, I know at least one guy who has been making them for somebody else. If LSA's picks aren't to your liking for some reason then I'd also suggest Petersons. The government steel variety is about the same quality steel as Cliffs but they will have to be sanded. The only reason I'd suggest those would be the handles and variety of styles, Cliffs really are some of the best available.

[Riyame]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned this website yet: http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/sfic/

[itsmike2k]

Thats pretty slick, ill have to get me one of those blocks!! There is a lot of info there too, thanks for the link!!!

Mike