OK. So I went out at lunch today to our local Medeco authorized dealer and picked up a 6-pin Best style SFIC "Keymark" core. It took some doing... They didn't want to sell me the core because I didn't bring in a lock to install it in and in their words "We don't know if you know what you're doing"...
Well, I finally convinced them to combinate a 33K600006 6-pin SFIC core for me. I think it concerned them that I had the 2008 medeco catalog page with the core printed out and had the list proce (combinated with 2 keys) circled ($49.00 USD). I asked them to make it a challenging lock to pick for me.
The locksmith just rolled his eyes at me and about 30mins later, came out with the core, a control key and an operating key. When he charged me, it was $30+ more than the list. I didn't complain though - there was no point as I hadn't asked him to quote a price prior to him combinating the core.
After I signed the key control paperwork, I looked at the keyway and made a comment somewhere along the lines of "I'm going to have to modify one of my picks to get into this keyway. This might present somewhat of a challenge - finally!" At this, the locksmith - in front of a couple of customers and some employees said, "If you can pick this lock, I'll pay your salary for a year!" I told that it would probably be a good idea to find out how much I make before making that sort of wager. He said, "I can't pick that lock. Nobody here can pick that lock. You're not going to be able to pick that lock!"
Well, he was right... At least with the tools I had with me. I drove the 15 mins back to my office and grabbed the itty-bitty hook that comes in the GOSO 23-piece set. It would only go as far as the 4th pin into the keyway. So, I did what any good Marine would do... Adapt, Improvise and OVERCOME! I put the hook part way into the keyway and bent it flatter - sort of resembling a VERY thin Peterson Gem - only flatter.
About 45 seconds later, to my amazement, I had the lock picked clockwise. Once I got a false-set, it was smooth sailing. I left the pick and tension wrench in the core and drove back to the locksmith. Keep in mind that I "owned" and had physical possession of this lock for a grand total of 18 minutes at this point. When I arrived back at the locksmith, the ownership clock was at about 30mins. I held up the core - pick and tension wrench still in it and demonstrated that it was indeed picked.
I then reset the lock, pulled the tools out of it and demonstrated that the control and operating keys were functional and that I had in no way tampered with the lock.
The locksmith and his customers got this
look on their faces as one of the customers had heard him make his ill-advised wager.
I informed him that my salary was in excess of six-digits and he got this
look on his face. I told him, "I tell you what... I pick locks for a hobby. I have been waltzing through locks lately and came in to get this core to give me a challenge. How about you start setting any odd locks you may come across aside for me. That way, I get something new to play with every once in a while." He agreed and then told me, "I've never seen someone pick one of those. You did it in 30mins?" I told him it was under a minute of actual picking time.
When I left, he still had this shocked look on his face.
It just goes to show him - you can't make assumptions about a lock or a lock picker!
Oh... Don't worry. There WILL be a video going up on youtube. Hopefully, my BEST padlock will be here today so I have something to put the core in. It was a BITCH to pick the naked core. There isn't much to hold on to while also trying to apply tension to the wrench.
John
Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:27 am 
