Medeco Keymark

[alias]

Which still isn't half as useful as knowing how to get a key would be...

Nevertheless, that's an awesome link - thanks lockmistress!! I was planning to go searching for just this information tonight so you've saved me the googling, much appreciated. I picked up another 6 Medeco cylinders this morning at $9 USD for the lot but I'm not sure if they're biaxial or regular. I'll be off searching for the pin and key specs for these unless someone else has a link like locksmistresses

randmguy: Thanks for you input too. I've emailed the guy who sold them but he didn't know anything about where they originally came from so even a cut key (given the potential odds of 17,000 to 1) is pretty unlikely....I'll probably end up shimming both of them and turning one into a cutaway though so its all good, I can live without a key.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts - I'm starting to wish I'd coughed up for the airmail....still 3-5 weeks to wait.

[raimundo]

the keymarks I have opened were sfic cylinders, and could not be shimmed. the pins sit in a straight part of the keyway above the offset paracentric area. the keyway will virtually eliminate all but the smallest and thinest picks. If you get one of the base note wires from a piano, (the long wires with the copper wrap) you can unwrapp the copper wire and have a piece of hardend round wire that will quickly be made into a lifter hook that will be your best bet for this type of lock. cut a piece about 4 inches long, file and sand both ends round, bend a finger ring on one end, put this ring on your second finger (the bird) grip the wire, and bend it about 30 degrees over your first finger, then just put a small hook on the end, this thin pick will work well in keymark locks, do not allow the shaft to be too long, as the longer the shaft, the more springy the pick will be. the hook end should be filed and sanded round, you don't want to feel the sharp cut ends carving into the pins, this will just cause the pins to have burrs that will affect their pick and drop action.