Hey guys! I need advice on a tension tool.

[Wiseman501]

I finally found a Medeco lock to play with! It's on a small Safemark safe that's in a hotel room I'll be in for a while. I can provide pics to prove that it doesn't belong to someone else if anyone is touchy about that, since it's that kind of lock question. My problem is that it takes a ton of tension to turn, even with the key, because it's manipulating two steel bars inside the door. Anyway, I put my tension tool in and started picking for about ten seconds before I decided that my wrench was going to break if I kept it up. Any advice on the strongest wrenches, or best things to make them from?

To make sure the wrong people can't Google this, please give any other advice on this lock through personal messages.

[Squelchtone]

I finally found a Medeco lock to play with! It's on a small Safemark safe that's in a hotel room I'll be in for a while. I can provide pics to prove that it doesn't belong to someone else if anyone is touchy about that, since it's that kind of lock question. My problem is that it takes a ton of tension to turn, even with the key, because it's manipulating two steel bars inside the door. Anyway, I put my tension tool in and started picking for about ten seconds before I decided that my wrench was going to break if I kept it up. Any advice on the strongest wrenches, or best things to make them from?

To make sure the wrong people can't Google this, please give any other advice on this lock through personal messages.

That is not your safe to be practicing your picking on, other people after you will rely on the operation of that lock to store their stuff, so resist the temptation to mess with it. The rental of a hotel room doesn't bring with it the right to practice lock picking on the locks, even if you do have the keys to the locks in your hand.

hold yourself to the same standards you expect from those around you,
Squelchtone

[Wiseman501]

@Squelchtone

That is actually right, man. Now I feel bad for letting excitement get to me. Thanks for the reality check. I honestly didn't think forward. Maybe if I buy one of these safes, though...The challenge is appealing enough to spend the money for, plus, I know that nobody is getting into one of those things easily. I could use it for my own home.

Well, I could still use some advice on stronger tension wrenches. I've heard of using Allan wrenches (Hex keys) and grinding them down a bit. Does the steel remain strong enough to take a lot of torque afterwards? If I ever have to pick a lock that needs that much torque, my current wrenches are going to whimper and die. In fact, at the tension levels there, my picks might too, since the security pins would require so much force to feel out because of the mechanical load. Any advice for stronger tension tools appreciated!

[Wiseman501]

P.S.

Knowing a bit about steel from sword making, I know that a high carbon steel is usually ideal for strength if the temper is good. My problem is that I really don't feel like getting a steel crucible to cast just a few tools with. I can't use my precious metal crucibles without contaminating them. I'm looking for something workable, like a tool that's already made out of good, strong steel.

[smokingman]

You need to go the other way with your tension.
Light tension will yield best results,and be easier on your picks too.
It is a common mistake so don't feel bad, just try to use no more
than it takes to turn a key or press a key on you keyboard and
feel the success.
If a lock is crusty from being outside or something,use a small scredriver
or ground down allen wrench for turning after it is picked.

[Wiseman501]

@Smokingman

Thanks for your reply! With a normal lock, that is definitely the way to go, yes. The thing is that on this safe for instance, even the key needs an abnormal amount of force to turn. The lock isn't crusted up or anything, and it is working smoothly. It's just that the way the safe door is built, the cylinder seems to be part of powering gears inside that move two big steel bars. That means the cylinder doesn't move at all with gentle tension, so I can't even get the pins to a point where I can feel for the shear line without a lot of torque.

I'm pretty good at picking most locks, and it is a sure thing that too much tension is usually bad because you don't get feedback, but this is a challenge because of the way it's built. I've never seen a pin tumbler lock on a "real" safe door either, so it's definitely a novelty and a challenge.

[Wiseman501]

I mean, that is how it feels anyway. Do you really think this lock would respond to such gentle tension? It has no springiness either to make the cylinder go back to normal if I let off too. It's like turning a screw: Once you let off tension, it just sits there at a slight angle. Thanks for the Allen wrench idea, too.

[Wiseman501]

I just felt it again with both a key and tension wrench+small hook, despite Squelchtone making me feel guilty for messing with it. lol. There IS a VERY slight play in the cylinder before I feel it starting to engage the gears, but it's so minute, and I still felt no feedback from the pins besides the springs pushing the pins down. I can tell by the amount of turn (much less than one millimeter) of the key before it gets bound in the lock by the set pins, that this lock is extremely well made. And it has a tight keyway, too.

If gentler tension really is the trick, even here, I'll tip my hat to experience, but it surely feels like I'm not getting anything out of it in this case. Maybe this one is virtually unpickable for me right now. I can see why nobody likes picking the harder Medeco locks. Some videos of lesser Medecos made them look like cake, but this one is a beast.

[Wiseman501]

:/ I would delete my first two replies to Smokingman to streamline my response, but I have no delete button, so my thread will be a long winded jumble. I know why we don't have delete buttons, but I still want one. Hahaha.

[smokingman]

Since this is not your lock I would leave it alone,
otherwise you may end up paying for the safe and not getting to keep it!
It could be an embarrassing situation at the least and a legal one at worst.

[buddykiller]

are you looking for a particular type of medeco?

you can get biaxials at security snobs for $15 used and $25 new.

[Wiseman501]

Since this is not your lock I would leave it alone,
otherwise you may end up paying for the safe and not getting to keep it!
It could be an embarrassing situation at the least and a legal one at worst.

Yeah, I generally don't damage locks, but I don't plan to be picking on it. I just went back to feel it up for tension. lol.

Thanks for the lead, Buddykiller!

[buddykiller]

np, just mouse over collector locks and click on large lot locks. i've never ordered from them before or anything, but they seem legit and only deal in high security locks from what i can tell.

[Barthel]

I Just got my hands on a set of HExagon.InBus-tools (the ones you use for industrial use) they are made of CromVanadium steel, if you get a 2-5mm set of those, grind them temper on the "L" Shaped end they should resist all torque you can apply wirth one finger (indeed, i broke the 5mm one using a 600mm Tube as amplifier ^^) the only thing you should really take care of is the temperature while grinding, try to keep it as cold as possible (using a hand file... this will take some days but not overheating the material is essential here) and you wont't have any more problems ^^

[Wiseman501]

I Just got my hands on a set of HExagon.InBus-tools (the ones you use for industrial use) they are made of CromVanadium steel, if you get a 2-5mm set of those, grind them temper on the "L" Shaped end they should resist all torque you can apply wirth one finger (indeed, i broke the 5mm one using a 600mm Tube as amplifier ^^) the only thing you should really take care of is the temperature while grinding, try to keep it as cold as possible (using a hand file... this will take some days but not overheating the material is essential here) and you wont't have any more problems ^^

Thanks for the tip! You can also sink the heat away by submersing most of the metal in water while you grind it with a rotary hand tool (Use a vise or other holding device if it's awkward to use pliers like vise grips). As long as you don't grind like a maniac, that keeps things nice and cool. If you're grinding a lot, just stop once in a while. Always finish with a hand file and sandpaper though, for a better end product. In the jewelry trade, sinking heat is a gigantic help if you have to use a torch near heat sensitive stones. Keeps them cool and safe while you weld.