What Medeco to start with?

[daniel22747]

I have started out with the medeco driverless locks and have been doing ok with them.

[MBI]

Have any of you guys try the paper clip sidebar bypass on the Medeco m3 cylinders? I bought a biaxial so I doubt it would work but I intend to try the credit card technique since I'll have a working key with it.

The Medeco m3 is basically the same thing as Biaxial, but with the addition of a tiny sliding metal piece added inside. The slider in an m3 is just an extra little locking mechanism that prevents the lock from opening if an unauthorized fake key is used, such as the credit card trick shown in the Open in 30 Seconds book.

The paperclip doesn't actually bypass the sidebar; it just pushes in the slider so an improvised key will work on an m3 just like it would on a Biaxial. Or, once you've picked an m3, then you have to push in the slider with the tip of your pick or with a paperclip. Basically, the slider doesn't hinder picking or the use of an unauthorized key. It merely makes you take one extra really simple step that takes less than a second, pushing in the slider with a small piece of metal after you've defeated the lock's other security measures by other means. On it's own, just walking up to an m3 and pressing in the slider will not open it.

The slider doesn't really add any meaningful level of security. What it did for Medeco was give them a new utility patent, and it allow m3 locks to have more potential bittings available if you have a REALLY big masterkey system, like a university campus or something like that.

[Snakedoc]

Thanks MBI, that was an interesting read. I must have misunderstood the bypass technique. My understanding was that the credit card simply pushes the pins to the proper hight and does nothing to rotate them, the paper clip is used to bypass the sidebar and open the lock.
If you don't mind me asking you to explain further, are the angles on the key bitting replicable on a credit card by using simple scissors or a medeco key cutting machine is required, or proper rotation of the pins using ccw tension and a hook is necessary prior to inserting the credit card?
From your post I assume that the "Open in 30 seconds" guys did get the angles cut on the credit card since all they used was the card and a paper clip to open the m3. I was hoping to have some progress to post here by now but the biaxial I ordered will get to me on Monday.

[doublez]

If you don't mind me asking you to explain further, are the angles on the key bitting replicable on a credit card by using simple scissors or a medeco key cutting machine is required, or proper rotation of the pins using ccw tension and a hook is necessary prior to inserting the credit card?
From your post I assume that the "Open in 30 seconds" guys did get the angles cut on the credit card since all they used was the card and a paper clip to open the m3. I was hoping to have some progress to post here by now but the biaxial I ordered will get to me on Monday.

I think in the video of credit card + paperclip, they used code setting keys.

I have been attempting to get angle cuts on a simulated key though... Is there anything stopping people from just using a triangle file to make the cuts? I recently picked up a medeco biaxial without keys, and have been trying to simulate keys. I have a plastic key that raises pins to the correct height, but I've been having trouble with the rotation. The other thing I'm thinking of is using some 1mm thick steel that is almost exactly the right height, and may be easier to make angled cuts on. Can someone more experienced with medecos give any suggestions for angled cuts on simulated keys?

- doublez

[MBI]

Credit cards are just barely thick enough to be able to hold an angled cut and have enough material to reliably rotate the pins.
I don't see how you could do angled cuts very well with scissors.
You can cut the credit card keys on a key machine, or to do it by hand with a triangular file might work, as mentioned by doublez. Probably have to make sure the key is held securely to keep it from vibrating as you make the angled cuts. I've known a few people who can hand file keys accurately enough to do a reliably functioning Medeco key, but I doubt most people are that good.

If you use a credit card key you need to either have the angled cuts on the key or set the pin rotations beforehand some other way, such as with the code setting keys.

[Snakedoc]

So it begins...........


Just kidding, received this lock from Security Snobs today with two chambers missing pins. I have to send it back and wait for them to change it again........... This sucks!

[Divinorum]

Enjoy it! Security snobs is great. They are very helpful when you have a problem with your order. I still have not picked a fully pinned Medeco myself. I always end up practicing for a few weeks and then get side tracked lol. One day mark my words the Medeco shal be mine muahaha!

[Snakedoc]

I am not sure if it's pure luck or Devine intervention (same thing) but I've had great progress since I received the new Medeco.
First thing I did was to decide on the pick, after some trial and error I found the Peterson Gem to be absolutely perfect for the job.
Pin rotation, everybody has a technique and none worked for me. I'll share with you what worked for me but honestly it comes down to hands on practice.
The idea came to me after seeing guys rake them open with Bogotas. I used a Peterson pry bar to provide CCW tension and found the binding pin with the gem. I then proceeded to pulsate the tension and wiggle the tip of the gem left and right on the pin. Play attention not to lift the pin as you wiggle. You can feel the sidebar engage with the groove on the key pins and get locked there. I do this to all the pins and then start pushing them up to shear.
I am four pins in with this method and it works great on the Biaxial.

[nite0wl]

I am not sure if it's pure luck or Devine intervention (same thing) but I've had great progress since I received the new Medeco.
First thing I did was to decide on the pick, after some trial and error I found the Peterson Gem to be absolutely perfect for the job.
Pin rotation, everybody has a technique and none worked for me. I'll share with you what worked for me but honestly it comes down to hands on practice.
The idea came to me after seeing guys rake them open with Bogotas. I used a Peterson pry bar to provide CCW tension and found the binding pin with the gem. I then proceeded to pulsate the tension and wiggle the tip of the gem left and right on the pin. Play attention not to lift the pin as you wiggle. You can feel the sidebar engage with the groove on the key pins and get locked there. I do this to all the pins and then start pushing them up to shear.
I am four pins in with this method and it works great on the Biaxial.

An intriguing idea Snakedoc and congratulations on your progress with the BiAxial. I will have to give that a try the next time I try my Medecos, of course I still haven't mastered my Medecoder which I should practice with.

[ggpaintballer]

I tried out using a diamond, regular hook, and Peterson lifter. I also wound up preferring the gem for medecos. Don't even know what I'd try with a keymark.