Looking for help with a Medeco lock

[Sarahbeth89]

First, I know nothing about lock picking whatsoever, and I'm not sure if it's okay to create an account just to ask for help. I'm hoping so! If not, I'm terribly sorry, if a moderator can, please delete this post.

Assuming it's okay, though, it would be fantastic if someone here can help me or point me in the right direction. I'm completely lost when it comes to locks in general. Anyways, to the point. My husband and I bought a Motorhome earlier this year secondhand from a consignment dealer. We have no way to contact the original owner. Many RVs have under-bed storage, and ours is no exception. When we went through the Motorhome after buying it, we found a great feature: a seemingly fireproof safe in the storage space under the bed. We tried to open it, but alas, none of the keys we were provided with fit, and the dealer will not help us or put us in contact with the original owner.

Now we're left with two options: abandon any hope of getting the safe open (meaning whatever valuables that might be in there are lost, and we also have no way to use our safe in the future) or hire someone. There is a local guy who will open any lock for you for $30 but I'm afraid he would damage my safe, and I'd like to have it working for my own use. What do you all suggest? Should I try to open this lock myself? Hire this guy to open it and hope he can replace it with a new lock? Wait until I can hire a professional? I really need this safe to work when all is said and done. If there's a way for me to pick it, I'm willing to use picking as my method of opening it. If the lock is replaceable tho, I'd prefer that. Anyways. Here's a pic of the safe. Any advice/info is extremely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

<a href="http://s1171.photobucket.com/albums/r550/sarahgeddie/?action=view&current=FB7215D1-D96E-46BF-92F2-D0FD5C7F5C25-1068-0000017393E20515_zps28465892.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r550/sarahgeddie/FB7215D1-D96E-46BF-92F2-D0FD5C7F5C25-1068-0000017393E20515_zps28465892.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

[Sarahbeth89]

Sorry. Hoping this pic posts:

[femurat]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

That's a lock that requires some skills to be picked, so it's not good for a beginner.
I'd suggest you to ask a professional to pick or drill it in a way that doesn't damage the safe.
Then he can replace the lock with another one and you can use the safe.

If an unskilled person try to open it with force or power tools, the safe could be heavily damaged and it would be difficult and expensive to repair it.

Good luck and let us know what you do

[MBI]

That's a medeco high security cam lock. It's probably not something a beginner will be able to open easily. In fact, many locksmiths still hold to the myth that they're entirely unpickable.

That's the bad news. But the good news is that a competent and exprienced locksmith should be able to get it open. Depending on several variables he may have to destroy the lock in the process but he should be able to do it without damaging the container itself. Unless there is something weird going on inside the box, like they've welded the lock ring in place or something (unlikely) then the lock should be replaceable. Even if he has to destroy the lock to get it open he should be able to install a replacement so you can use the cabinet afterwards. If you're going to store valuables in there I'd replace it with another high security lock of some kind. There are also simpler locks available for an application like that and they'd be cheaper than a high security lock, but also far less secure. It's a trade-off.

Drive your RV to a locksmith shop, which should be cheaper than having them come to you, and have them look at it and give you a price estimate. Good luck.

*EDIT: HA! Looks like Femurat beat me to the punch as I was typing.

[femurat]

In fact I was typing very fast just to beat you, MBI

[Sarahbeth89]

Wow, thanks do much for the quick replies!

Now I feel really dumb. I was trying to wiggle this thing open with a paperclip. Ha.

Anyways. I guess any idea of getting a key made is shot then. From what I could find online this sort of lock can only have keys made by authorized locksmiths. This sounds complicated and expensive.

Would it be a bad idea to try to get the lock removed by a local guy who isn't professionally trained? He charges $30 at any time, day or night, to open any car, house, safe, etc. If he can't open it, you don't pay. How difficult would it be for him to get out the lock without damaging the safe? And how easily can the lock be replaced?

As for the quality of the lock, I'm not very concerned. I want the safe more for its fireproof qualities. For starters most people who don't know about rvs don't know there's storage under the bed, and even looking at the bed you can't tell. Secondly, most rvs don't have safes - it's not a common feature, especially for rvs of this age. Thirdly, even if you thought to look under the bed, the engine is also under the bed, and the safe is covered. It looks like it could potentially be part of the engine. You'd have to either have owned the same rv model and about the same year or read extensively about this rv to find out. Needless to say, a lock is aaaalmost unnecessary - at this point it's just extra precaution.

So basically my question is, should I hire this guy to try to open the safe? Or should I wait until I can hire someone who's more qualified? (Im hoping to hear the cheap guy! Lol)

Thanks in advance!

[Squelchtone]

Before you hire the cheap guy, ask him if he has heard of a lock company called Medeco, and if he can pick one of those open, or if he would have to drill it. I would be very very scared to hire someone for $30 dollars, when a real locksmith could do it for $75-$125 You probably don't want to hire the town handy man scrap yard guy to open this, or he'll just drill it unprofessionally and pry it open and destroy the safe from being usable ever again.

As others said, drive that boat to the nearest real locksmith shop and have them take a look see and give you an estimate.

Best of luck,
Squelchtone

[Raymond]

Ditto on everything that has been said. I am in the business and know that an amateur will have a very difficult time opening that lock without damaging something. Ask him how he plans to open it. I am just curious what his response would be. I do not know that particular brand of safe. But, many safes have spring loaded 'relockers' that trigger if opened the wrong way.

As said, drive to a full time locksmith and get an estimate. One advantage to having the lock replaced at a full time shop is that in the future you can get high security keys directly from the locksmith. Besides high pick resistance, the best feature to Medeco is the key control attribute as duplicate blanks are just about not available except directly from your original source. I did not see any code number on the lock picture or you could deal directly with the safe maker or Medeco. As strongly as you have emphasized your need for the safe, I would hate to see it damaged. Good luck.

[Sarahbeth89]

If I can find a code or some sort of number on the safe, would I be able to simply get new keys for the safe? Provided, of course, that I can prove ownership?

[Squelchtone]

If I can find a code or some sort of number on the safe, would I be able to simply get new keys for the safe? Provided, of course, that I can prove ownership?

If there is a serial number stickers on that safe, you can call Hayman Safe http://www.haymansafe.com/pages/Contact_Us

Where in the USA are you? Some of us pick locks for friends sometimes, maybe you're near one of our members and they could try picking it for you for a 6 pack or something.. (if you're near Austin TX, our good friend JGor knows his way around a Medeco very well and could more than likely pick it for you, then you'd just go on ebay and get a replacement cylinder (as making a key for the picked lock would not be easy without going to a locksmith who sells Medeco)

Squelchtone

[jgor]

if you're near Austin TX, our good friend JGor knows his way around a Medeco very well and could more than likely pick it for you

Howdy! Yep, reenignE and I are in the area and could take a shot at picking it if you'd like. No guarantees it'll open, but I'm happy to try and potentially save a trip to a locksmith. Feel free to message me if you're in Austin and interested.

- jgor
Longhorn Lockpicking Club
Locksport International

[Sarahbeth89]

I'm in the lower rio grande area, so not quite close enough for you to swing by haha. But that's amazingly nice of you to offer!

I'm gonna try to call the safe company, because it's not gonna be long before my husband gets antsy and tried to bust it open himself. He's ridiculously curious to find out what's inside haha. When I call them, I'll let you know what they say!

[keymaster1053]

Any updates?

keymaster1053