Medeco's Exploited.

[Ermis]

I write this because recently i had a bucket of 62 Medeco cylinders come into my shop for me to play with and abuse. I will not write HOW i did the following, but this is the story of my Medeco Week. I know it concerns High Security Locks but i'm not informing anyone how i bypass, pick or impression, i just want to let everyone know what i did.

Picking: So far i picked a 3 Pin Medeco with a random pin stack and sidebar and mushroom top pins. This was quite difficult but knowing that 3 pin medeco locks exist on the market, and they are used in places like telephones, washing machines, file cabinets. It's very assuring to back up my statements of Mul-T-Lock being a better choice out of the two.

Impressioning: I impressed a 5 Pin Medeco with mushroom pins and side bar mortise cylinders ( i had to remove the 6th pin because the ilco key blank i used would not reach deep enough to push it up ). The key is not as stuborn to open the lock as one would imagine, it's not perfect like a real key to open, but mind you, an impressioned high security lock is such a big deal in itself that it's still regarded as amazing in my shop. Yes i will take this to the next BCASP convention and show the medeco guys. The key is a tiny bit hard to turn at first to get it started, this is because of the sidebar, it needs a little "in out and back and forth" rocking - this works best with vice grips but it does not require any strain at all. It requires very light turning pressure and rocking, but it works. No bends in the key so far.

So this is my week of Medeco fun, stay in tune for more stories and updates.

ALSO!!!! I was published in Locksmith Ledger International for the February Edition. I wrote an article on Key Bumping and they published me woooo hooooo!

[Eyes_Only]

I didn't know that Ilco made keys for Medeco.

[UWSDWF]

I didn't know that Ilco made keys for Medeco.

according to the kaba-ilco catalogue they have 7 different Medeco blanks

[Ermis]

The ilco blank i used is not made for medeco locks. it is not one of the restricted keys. The ilco blank i used, i'm not allowed to post the ilco # because that information is not allowed in this public forum. But one does exist, and i know which one and i used it to impression a medeco.
Basically what i did proved that medeco is not secure and their keyway is not restrcited. I used a standard Ilco Blank that was manufactured for a regular brand of lock that i can't name because it's a public forum. I Can't wait to show the reps at the convention, i bet i'll have a hit squad comming after me hehe Anyway i'm totally stoked about the convention, maybe i'll be able to manufacture a better replica of this key that works 100% for the convention. Infact i'll get started right now

[UWSDWF]

they'll poo poo your work, say you altered it by removing a pin and then altogether say that what you did didn't "actually" work.

I'm only assuming thats what they'd do... most companies try that when they get there arse handed to 'em

[Ermis]

There is nothing they can say, if you hold an ilco blank in your hand that is not intended for medeco and it's working their lock, my point has been proven that their keyway is not secure or restricted and anybody has the power to cut their keys and open doors without authorization. Seriously their lock is not secure i would never sell it or buy into it. I just cut myself a non restricted key that worked their lock, i'm not impressed with their lock at all.
I did just ruin that key because it snapped when i tried fixing it, so once i grab myself a band aid i'm going to make a new key and the next one will work better. The main problem is the angle of the cuts because for the key to go in and out properly the pin needs to spin as the key slides in and out and if the cuts are not at the proper angles the pins won't rotate properly and the key won't slide in, or out. I had this slight problem just now but once the key went in it opened the lock so who cares.

[n2oah]

It's very assuring to back up my statements of Mul-T-Lock being a better choice out of the two.

I hope you're joking.

[Ermis]

I'm not joking. I have not seen anybody pick, bump or impression a mul-t-lock that i carry in my shop and i have keyed myself.

[JackNco]

Sounds like uve had a fun week. Keep me in mind when u get bored of some of those locks

All the best

[Shrub]

With what you say its nothing exactally new, you can get a piece of credit card or hacksaw blade and make a working key for pretty much any resticted keyway,

I think the point is that a normal member of the public wont know how to thin keys down or even that it can be done, they will simply go to a key cutting place where they will find that they cant get a key cut hence the lock has done what it says on the box,

I imagine the reps will say a simular sort of thing im sorry to say,

Locks only keep honest people out, if your not playing by the rules nothings unbeatable,
The lock companies can only make locks for people that do play by the rules and hope those that dont are slowed down enough to not bother,


MTL, very pickble and can be bumped,

[fsdhy]

If you can't say what blank you used, you should at least be able to tell us a little bit more about the lock... Original, Biaxial, M3? Kwy 00, S1? Proprietary?

I'm a medeco dealer. I'll be at the BCASP conference. My medeco territory manager will be there as well, teaching a course. I tell you what... I'll bring a brand new medeco mortice cylinder still in the box (just in case the factory wants nothing to do with you and won't volunteer a lock). If you can demonstrate what you are claiming in a reasonable time frame, ie the time it takes me to drink a 3 beers, I'll pay your bar tab for the night. I'll even record your performance so you can brag about it later.

Interested?

[Knowthebird]

HeHeHe, The challenge has been put forth. Who dare challenge the medeco, ha ha ha.

I guess shrub is rite. With some files and patience you can make any key you want. I was looking at the tsa locks. One of them looks like it could use a restricted key (has a wide bottom and thin top, keyway looks sort of like a triangle). For a little while there I was considering making a key from a small brass barr/dowel from ace. Probably wont now that I know how to just read it (looking between the combination dials).

That is impressive though. I've never tried it, but I've always heard impressioning is pretty tough. U must have some real skills to do that on a medeco, props to you.

[n2oah]

MTL, very pickble and can be bumped,

Exactly.

Once you start picking them, they become as easy as sargents, but with twice as many pins.

Tell me, what Medeco lock is only 3 pins? I know the cam locks are, BUT they are also dimple locks. Picking a 3 pin medeco dimple and a normal 3 pin medeco are quite different stories. I have picked a 4 pin Mul-t-lock (and I barely have the attention span to pick a kwikset, honestly), and 4 pin Mul-t-locks exist in the wild, in that exact form.

[n2oah]

I will correct my previous post by saying that Medeco cam locks with the 4 pin-inline design do exist, however, they are still not the same as normal medeco locks, because they have no shear line.

[dab]

Are we talking about medeco dbk or their old commercial keyways. They might encourage you to release this info as the patents are about to expire, and keyblanks will be sold to anyone. They will want people to convert to their new prox key.