Is it really a Medeco Biaxial lock?

[n2oah]

No, that is caused by the biaxial fore and aft cuts and a left right rotation configuration of the cuts. There is no cut there.

Yup, I noticed that, too.

[linty]

the raised part does not represent a zero on a medeco lock; there is no zero cut in medeco. the rotating pin design requires that each pin has a corresponding cut in the key.

[Lucky1406]

So, in retrospect, is this lock the oh holy lock that gives everyone problems? and is so hard to pick with side bars and stuff?

[Gordon Airporte]

Well even if it isn't a biaxial it will have a sidebar and it will be very difficult to pick. However many degrees of freedom each pin has, they still have to twist.

[linty]

lucky: yes; this lock requires the pins to be rotated as well as lifted, which is hard to do with conventional tools. I think specifics should be left in the high security forums. if also probably has a couple mushroom pins, and possibly serrated bottoms and good tolerances.
i can't pick any medeco but i don't know if biaxial is actually more pick-resistant than first gen. medeco

[illusion]

They don't have serrated bottom pins - the false gates for the sidebar fingers more than compensate.

Zeke reckons the Biaxial are just as easy, but since I personaly have only ever picked a Biaxial, and not a first gen, I couldn't say. The Biaxial has more key differs 'apparently', but turning the pins is turning the pins after all, so shouldn't really make it any harder. I say 'apparently' because I haven't picked a first gen Medeco, and haven't taken one apart, so am just regurgitating what people more knowledgeable in this area have said.

They are tricky yes, and I would really like to know how many people can pick a Medeco with unknown pin rotation angles. I've found that I could remember what angles the pins needed to be rotated to, and hence have picked mine without major headaches. What if you didn't know the pin rotation angles? I bet you'd sit there for a long time trying to pick it. I wonder how Zeke and others who dabble with Medeco have found them?

[zeke79]

Hey there, I dont think any medecos are "easy". Some are just less dificult then others.

[linty]

i thought i'd seen serrated biaxial bottom pins. i'll have to check tomorrow.

[zeke79]

Yes you have seen them.

[illusion]

Yes you have seen them.

Oh... I take back that part about there not being serrated bottom pins.

[zeke79]

I believe they are called ARX style pins but I could be mistaken on that. That is the name that comes to mind though.

[linty]

in that case, i'll post a pic tomorrow if i remember. :)

[zeke79]

I probably have some sitting around too if you don't. Let me know by pm if you dont find any and I'll post a pic if you can't.

[linty]

those are the two kinds of serrated pins with a normal one for reference. A large number of the pins we have are serrated, seems like the majority.

also, i took a picture of the pins with the gates lined up (roughly) to give an idea of how the pins would be sitting when the correct key was in the lock. Hopefully this will help show why the spacing between cuts on a biaxial key can vary. the space between the 2nd and 3rd would be quite small and between the third and fourth quite wide.
the pins are: aft-center, aft-right, fore-center, aft-center, aft-left.

[globallockytoo]

Thanks for the great pics.....I'd never seen them before and it opened my eyes a little....

I think I understand why and how they are able to be picked, with some difficulty though.

Thanks again for the great pics