Falle-Safe Lock Pick Set - Review of an Iconic Kit

[@LockNoob]

This is such an iconic lock pick set and one I never thought I’d get to explore. Many great things and some strange choices. What do you think of this kit? Do you have one? Let me know in the comments! 😃😃😃 Also a big thank you to GJ Locks for this kind gift, it’s really appreciated 😊👍 My apologies for the auto white balance too, it goes a little crazy at the beginning 🙄😣😕

[@paulgilmartin217]

I shared a room with John in the Marines where he had a lathe and would spend hours working on the designs .. top lad too

[@martinnewton6891]

Just came across this & very nostalgic for me. I was the original owner of Safeventures and sold it 5 years ago. John Falle has been a friend and best mate for the past 30 years. We have, and still do work on an enormous amount of stuff together. The pick set was one of the very first & very few commercial items ever sold. The picks were photo chemically etched and at the time the cost of putting it in the wallet was £75. I think we sold it for £120. It became a burden to produce in the end with very low profit, so we allowed MBA USA to take it on. The first 10 were put in leather wallets but the cost was then £100 to us. My mum ended up making the nylon wallets which were poor quality but served the purpose. It was definitely ahead of its time, 30 years ago there was nothing like it, the internet & lock sport did not exist so much harder to get the word out there. I actually have access to I several sets that have never been separated from there sheet format. The tension tools were definitely Marmite (love them or hate them) I was never a big fan & they were not my ‘go to’, although in certain situations, where you needed perfect tension control they were a godsend. Curiously we have recently redesigned the complete set and are having a limited number of new sets made out of an extremely hard material. They should be ready beginning of Feb.

[@LockNoob]

Well, if you would like me to do an honest review, I’m always here. It would be a pleasure

[@rogergoldfinchelectrical4159]

I'm interested but not sure where you'd sell them? Thanks

[@cameronrich2536]

Would you be willing to sell any of the sets that aren't punched out

[@martinnewton6891]

@@cameronrich2536 I will see if I can get some the next time I visit John.

[@cameronrich2536]

@@martinnewton6891 that would be epic thank you

[@brianhignett8954]

Hi Lock Noob, I have this Falle - Safe kit which we purchased over 20 years ago now. They were originally sold to Government Agencies, and designed by John Falle - a brilliant engineer - who designed many sophisticated lock picking tools not even sold to Locksmiths. In the real world I found them a little disappointing. The very thin pick shafts tended to bend, although they did allow you to pick a pin without interfering with other pins. The curved long reach picks were too flexible to feel a pin set in most cases, and as you mentioned, were no better than various hooks - or even a DeForest style pick. They also included small city rakes, only really suited to 4 pin locks. The tension tools are certainly unique, and can give you excellent feed back due to the even torque on the core, but as you said, not suitable for some recessed keyways. Many KIK locks had recessed cylinders. The pick set was designed well before prybars, Bogota style rakes, wave rakes etc. and pick makers today, I feel, have a more practical range of picks, without the high prices. A great collector's set though. Regards, Brian.

[@LockNoob]

Another great and well considered comment, thank you Brian. It’s an amazing kit to explore, but I agree that maybe these days we just have kit that just works better at less cost. That being said, I’d completely support someone buying the kit as a collector’s item as it’s pretty awesome IMO!

[@douro20]

The specifications of many of his tools are still considered an Official Secret.

[@camronbay1]

Yes indeed some restricted tools that he made amazing stuff.

[@iainirvine.7878]

I think the advantage of the long curved pick is that it would allow you to tension at pin side and allow reach round tension bars but awesome set your a lucky boy

[@LockNoob]

I am very lucky!

[@chriscapune7873]

Very cool!!!! Thank you for sharing this!!!! 🐈👍🐈🐾👏😷

[@LockNoob]

Thanks 🙏

[@mal13able]

i love those tensioning adjustable picks,why no-one has duplicated them is beyond me,they are so cool because i always have problems finding a good tensioner on some keyways,great video as always!cheers

[@LockNoob]

I have thought about that too... I guess it’s because normal TOK tensioners are just far cheaper to produce while being more flexible and 90% as good for feedback 🤷‍♂️ would Lo be the option to buy some more though!

[@Leonslockpad]

what a very cool kit Ash my friend😊👍👊🇬🇧😎

[@LockNoob]

So cool! Thanks Leon!

[@BrianKilgoreFFT]

I have a reach tool. It came in the only lock pick set I have. I have not found a lot of use for it. It has come in handy to get under some of the pins in back of the lock. The hooks and angled picks I have not been able to get under the last pin in the back of the one lock.

[@LockNoob]

Interesting insight, thanks 🙏

[@aaronwinters9943]

Back when I was a young man, I made an entire set of lockpicks out of sawzall blades. Yes, I had to thin them down. It wasn't a quick and easy process. I based my picks off of these. Essentially, I adjusted the lengths of the curves and I added finger grip grooves. I'd say it was a solid upgrade. Back then, I just had a dremel and it's attachments to work with. I am curious as to how well the Wazer desktop waterjet cutter would work with making these.

[@SanityDoesNotSell]

Absolutely the coolest tension tools I've seen.

[@LockNoob]

They are so cool!

[@adamwest8711]

Wow. That was a very expensive kit for what you got. The tension tools are cool bits of history. I think I’d probably spring for a multipick circular tool these days though. Thanks for the review. Very cool.

[@LockNoob]

Thanks 🙏

[@scottg44]

Good video Ash on such a classic pick set!

[@LockNoob]

Thanks 🙏

[@sid8880]

If you are after the rakes, Peterson’s have directly copied them - there called ‘mini ripple’ 0.025 government steel section. There were 3 profiles. JF who designed these picks was not a fan of rakes. The rakes were called ‘manipulators’. The lever lock picks that were included with the kit were for convenience more then function. Flat steel so would fit into the case but allow you to open simple 2-5 lever non curtained locks all without having to carry different tool kits. They are tricky to use though but do work. I think the reason they might not be available is that there are so many cylinder lock picks out there now its not commercially available to produce anymore. - Might be corrected on that though! Nice one mate keep up the good work.

[@LockNoob]

Interesting, thanks!

[@Ronb-en6bi]

The reach tool is really nice for medeco biaxial locks where you need to spin a pin out of false gates for the side bar... besides that i have never used them

[@Ronb-en6bi]

i also only really have used the 2 from sparrows for the reach picks... and its very rare and a really high cut pin in a false gate...

[@LockNoob]

Yeah, I can understand that

[@x40ozSkiLz]

The reach tools are probably good for medeco locks since you need to use multidirectional manipulation to set the pins.

[@LockNoob]

I can see that. But are they any better than say, a gem or deforest diamond? 🤔

[@roysammons2445]

I saw a few curved reach tools used and made one myself. It seemed to pick really well so I made myself a few more. I sent one of them along with a couple of other picks I made to Thumper to have a play with. Personally I like the reach pick design but it isn't my first choice when picking.

[@LockNoob]

Interesting, thanks Roy 😃

[@seraphikimercury4921]

Never used a reach tool before myself, but I imagine it would be useful in a Best 7 pin lock. I make all my own tools but maybe I'll make one of those and see how it feels.

[@LockNoob]

Would be a good project for sure

[@LockNoob]

That would be a good project!

[@magicdave93]

No wonder these aren’t made anymore considering the high price but they are nice all the same. Great video! 👍🔐

[@LockNoob]

Yes, I imagine a limited customer base!

[@LivingTheLifeRetired]

Good review. Always interesting commentary. Thanks.

[@LockNoob]

Thanks 🙏

[@philipedwardcaddick4294]

Just a quick question can you buy topof the key way tensioners separately if so where from and have you tried making any yourself?

[@LockNoob]

Yes you can. Peterson, Law Lock Tools, Sparrows Lock Picks, Multipick and others make sets. I have made my own out of wiper blade insert and feeler gauge stock

[@pixieloxx2484]

Anybody know what happened to John Falle. Is he still in the industry and still designing. And I always wondered why the shit was so overpriced, especially given a lot of the options on the market that are cheaper.

[@Westhelockpicker]

I'd love to have one but unless I can find one then not gonna happen! Thumper lockpicking bought a new one about a month or so ago and I asked where and he would only tell me he knew a guy!

[@LockNoob]

Yeah, they are pretty darn rare!

[@Westhelockpicker]

@@LockNoob that maybe but people are still buying them here and there and that's just people I know. Besides if there as much as I heard then no wonder there going obsolete!

[@Petertronic]

Nice set, the adjusting tensioners especially nice. I wonder if anyone can make those for a reasonable price. Are you listening Sparrows? :D

[@LockNoob]

Lol it would be nice though!

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

I have a wild guess theory: This looks like a "program kit" to me. Someone developed an industrial "program" to train people (Military? Trade? ) to pick locks. One goes to a few classes, buys the kit, picks some locks in class. These would be used in conjunction with a manual to pick various types of known locks without anyone having to develop a lot of real "feel" skill through hours of practice; "for a Schlage # XXX use pick # 4 and tension tool # B-3"... etc. I have seen many kits of specialized tool kits for other trades, and spent hours in many classes to get "trained" ... mostly things like fuel injection, carburetor rebuild, and automatic transmission and air conditioning type stuff. Lots of odd, specialized tools and tiny parts. Again, just a theory. Anyone?

[@douro20]

That's exactly what it is. And there are numerous other kits which are Official Secrets.

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

@@douro20 Thanks! Can you cite a source? I would love to see more info on these "programs"

[@stevenmullen8402]

@@RAkers-tu1ey Cant give more info its a secret

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

@@stevenmullen8402 right, you could tell me, but then you'd have to kill me. Understood

[@stevenmullen8402]

@@RAkers-tu1ey thank you for understanding.

[@jonathanbailie]

Nice kit, but I think it's a little outdated with the options from Multipick, Sparrows, Peterson, etc. I think they'd have to redesign in order to keep up. I've used a set before and definitely prefer my multipicks over all of them.

[@LockNoob]

Well, sadly they no longer make kits like this for pin tumblers

[@kevenquinlan]

Hey Noob. Wow, was just talking with a dude from sparrows and he brought up Falle-Safe. I hadn't heard that name in Yearssss. I pen-test so, Matt Blaze is like the first thing you'll ever read on the subject and SFIC cores which is what I deal with, mostly. I'm trippin you even found one for sale, they haven't made those in a long time. That, being said, they look nice as a novelty and might have been ok when they came out but there's many great picks out now from a few options. Still cool though. You look at the brands he lists in one of his exerts/ HPC, Majestic, A!, lol. Soon as I saw that I was like, 'Oh, that's some super dated shit'. Anywho, always enjoy your content. (Would be interested for you to demo the ACE brand Tube impressioner- it's the BFG of impressioners, old-ish, was curious if it's worth the 400 price tag. I also think it only does 7 pin? Who knows) Laters m8.

[@rodolfopacoravera9814]

como obtengo este juego de ganzuas para mi trabajo, soy cerrajero de Perú, me interesa

[@plug4uk696]

I do like those adjustable tension tools.. Would be great if one of you clever engineers out there could come up with a similar idea, nudge, nudge, wink, wink ;-)

[@ndRuu86]

I think it isn't that hard to replicate those. The hardest part is: how to make them better (more compact, more universal, more easy to use)?

[@plug4uk696]

@@ndRuu86 : Totally agree with you, some clever and talented people in this sport that I'm sure could make a big improvement on them, we will have to wait and see my friend if someone is willing to take up the challenge though ;-)

[@LockNoob]

I’m wondering if really, normal TOK tools have just met most of the requirements these tools were designed for, hence why you don’t see anyone making them 🤷‍♂️

[@plug4uk696]

@@LockNoob : Your probably right about the TOK tools but I still prefer BOK, but I can see those tools giving the best of both worlds because they look much more stable in the lock to me ;-)

[@אורימ-ס9ק]

Why don't we see this type of tension tools out there? Thank you.

[@LockNoob]

I guess its too expensive to produce

[@roysammons2445]

Wax? Do you make candles? I love making candles.

[@LockNoob]

Sadly not. Looks like a fun thing to try though 👍

[@Fireman-cz5lf]

If you could only get products from one lock picking brand what would it be

[@LockNoob]

Wow! THAT is a tough question. IF they brought back the 0.023 MAX picks, I might just choose SouthOrd. But let’s be honest, we are spoiled by the choice available to us these days and the quality that all the major manufacturers achieve is awesome

[@Fireman-cz5lf]

@@LockNoob Very true

[@jwrm22]

Seems like you have about half of a set. Double checked with mine, the full set has two of every normal picks.

[@LockNoob]

That’s interesting 🤔😃👍 still, half a kit is so much better than no kit!

[@LockpickingsGal]

Wow!! I have been wanting to try these. I think the tensioners would be great for anyone that had difficulty in holding the tensioners Have you checked out my giveaway yet?

[@LockNoob]

I have not, BUT I will do now LPG!

[@rogergoldfinchelectrical4159]

Just sent you an email (from DG720...). May have gone to spam, so I thought I'd give you a heads up.

[@zefftrus9825]

Can you send me one of those kits

[@LockNoob]

I’m just a dad with a hobby, I can’t just give lots out to people, sorry

[@zefftrus9825]

@@LockNoob well if you have anything you don't want I'll take it

[@chyrt]

@@zefftrus9825 I think he still has a little credit card debt from last month, I hope you also don't mind taking that?

[@zefftrus9825]

@@chyrt ?

[@John-p9m2c]

Huh

[@LockNoob]

Huh?