How I Made My Y Wrench Useful

[huxleypig]

I had this Y shaped tension wrench and it was shite, it'd always bow and flex and pop out of keyways whenever I tried to use it.

So I got some 3mm dia x 1.5mm deep N52 magnets off ebay a while ago (for other lock related stuff) and noticed if I use them with the tension wrench it becomes useful. Not just useful but brilliant! They add rigidity to the wrench and the width of the wrench can be adjusted by using differing numbers of magnets then sliding them up and down to suit.

Here they are being used to tension a Bilock. With them being right at the end they're actually pulling the teeth in closer than at rest:



And here is the wrench adjusted to have a much wider gap by using 3 magnets and sliding them up the shaft a little:



This has made the wrench very versatile and useful for tensioning many different locks.

[xeo]

Discussed earlier in the chat but I'll post it again here. This seems like it would turn this tool into something actually useful. Ive used this wishbone tool a number of times only to have the sliding collar slide off and the wrench flies out of the lock usually hitting you in the face. Thanks for posting.

[Oldfast]

Yes, thanks for sharing. Simplistic, yet brilliant.
I've used mine on a variety of things, but for the most part
I never found them all to useful... other than for trailer doors.

[MrAnybody]

Yes, thanks for sharing. Simplistic, yet brilliant.
I've used mine on a variety of things, but for the most part
I never found them all to useful...

Well said, Oldfast

That's a great tip, hux. I think mine may actually emerge out of the junk drawer, if I snag some of these magnets. Very cool.

Many thanks for sharing.

One thing as I've not looked at these before: just been looking up the magnets on ebay. There seems to be grades like N52, N38, N32. I guess that's the strength? And the strongest would be N52?

[huxleypig]

Yes mate, N52 are the strongest commercially available neodymium magnets. I got them from a store called "Spider magnets" on eBay If I remember right...

**EDIT** link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-Neodymium- ... 258106477a

Cheap as chips!

You can 1mm thickness ones too but remember they're axially magnetised, meaning one face is N and the other is S. Unlike diametrically aligned magnets (such as the ones you find on the MCS key).

[10ringo10]

great idea for those n52 magnets use full for picking magnetic pin locks such as the abs avocet range mk 1-2-3 !

we covered this a while back on the forum for those interested and there is a vid to boot !

must had this hp... I am still making the same mistake picking wafers like the Henderson garage doors T HANDLE type wafer lock.

problems not the picking !! the common mistake is to turn the plug fully ...then you have to pick the damn thing again to lock back up as the key

just does not want to fit back in..... always takes twice as long to lock them up as to open !

good luck on picking that !!

[Medecopen]

I don't own a tension wrench like that or know what it would be used for yet but I do appreciate the creativity ... I can see myself using this trick in the future when I discover the need for it...what else are those magnets used for in locksmithing or picking??

[rai]

@ medecopan
medecoplan, sounds like an insurance company...
Wait, co pan, thats some kinda mayan pyrimid, where they offered raw heart to tezcatlipoca?

what else are the magnets used for, look on youtube for miwa magnetic lockpicking.
are you a mayan heart surgeon?

[Medecopen]

@ medecopan
medecoplan, sounds like an insurance company...
Wait, co pan, thats some kinda mayan pyrimid, where they offered raw heart to tezcatlipoca?

what else are the magnets used for, look on youtube for miwa magnetic lockpicking.
are you a mayan heart surgeon?

I'm sure ill stubble on videos soon enough, I've been checking out a few of ur guys channels on YouTube just thought I'd ask and keep the thread going... Anyways Medecopen = medeco open not that I can pick one yet but from the lil research I've done that's a short term goal for me.... If ur in the market for insurance tho look into obomashare lol...

[huxleypig]

I don't own a tension wrench like that or know what it would be used for yet but I do appreciate the creativity ... I can see myself using this trick in the future when I discover the need for it...what else are those magnets used for in locksmithing or picking??

There are several locks that might require a magnet to help with the picking of them. I got them originally for the Avocet ABS, it has a magnetic pin. Well, a magnet on the key, the pin is just metal meaning a magnets' N or S will work on it.

[Dougq1300]

I don't often find a use for that wrench. The one thing that it always works on for me is when I need to pick a double sided key lock. CG1 and the like. It has been invaluable to me for that.