Medeco Key Duplication

The contract with Medeco prohibits duplication of keys for UNauthorised people. Extensive record keeeping is part of the contract.

The blanks are usually restricted to contract holders and covered by a patent to prevent someone manufacturing blanks for some # of years.

Unfortunatly that is not always the case, keys have been made , blanks have been stolen, and some Medeco keyways are the same as open stock keyways from other manufactures. (at least the keys fit in).

and then to add to it, there are LEVELS of the keys, going clear to company ONLY.. thats my understanding..

--Shiva--

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You don't HAVE to have the card to duplicate the key. The procedure can be done without it. IF the blank is available.

If the keyway is restricted then you will have trouble (probably alot) finding somebody who can do it who is willing to without authorization. If the keyway is restricted the blank availability is restricted.

It all depends on the security level of the keyway, but for the most part the older "original" medeco keyways whose patents have expired are open, and not a problem to have keys duplicated as others here have mentioned...

A keyway that is "dealer exclusive" would require the registered imprint card to account for the usage of the restricted keyblanks to the factory...

"End user exclusive" keyways are highly restricted and keys are orginated at the factory -OR- a locksmith that is authorized by the factory AND the end user to possess the blanks...

Evan, ~~formerly a maintenance man, now a college student

Evan,

What are you going to school for?

Ottawa Canada

There are two factors to consider in getting a Medico key cut:

1. Medico is picky who it will let install service and cut keys for MEDICO locks. So the guy with the key duplicating kiosk at the local mall probably won't have the equipment to cut you an extra MEDICO key even if he could order in the correct key blank. And Joe, the local authorized MEDICO sales and service locksmith won't be in a rush to cut you a key even if he has the correct keyblank without written permission of the owner of the premises the MEDICO lock is installed at.

1. There are various levels of restriction applied to MEDICO keyblanks. MOST MEDICO authorized locksmiths have a particular keyway or keyways assigned to them and MEDICO flatly refuses to sell blanks for these keyways to anyone but the locksmith who they have on record as having been assigned those keyways.

This prevents someone going to a bent locksmith and having him cut them an illicit key.

If you are the owner of record of the MEDICO lock in question, getting extra keys is simple. You give the locksmith you bought the lock from written permission to cut some keys and tell him how many you want. He will gladly make you as many keys as your little heart desirres if your signature on the work order matches the signature he has on file for you.

I don't call that jumping through hoiiops, do you?

Now just what happens if Joe, the locksmith you bought your nice shiney MEDICO lock from retirs and you need an extra key I don't know. I guess you check the Yellow Pages under Locksmiths and ask the ones who are authorized MEDICO locksmiths if they know where Joe went or if someone bought his business and MEDICO dealership.

If no one took over Joe's business, you are probably best to get your MEDICO lock re-keyed and get a bunch of nice new shiney keys for it. Try and deal with an established locksmith who isn't planning to die or retire soon.

In Canada, CHUBB SECURITY LOCKSMITHS are a well established firm of locksmiths and yes, they are part of the CHUBB you are thinking of, that make safes, vaults, fire fighting apparatus, alarms and even jail equipment.

Brian

Teddo ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com) writes:

MEDECO, not MEDICO

First, the key blanks aren't available. It's a distinctive keyway.

Now, in theory it's possible to have a machine shop make you some key blanks, but that's pricey. And they'd likely refuse based on legal grounds.

I have taken a certification course for Medeco Biaxial, but that was awhile ago. They track their key blanks, and want paper work on all of them. So, a Biaxial dealer may well be "able" to make keys without the card, but he wouldn't be a dealer for long.

Dear Brian, You may wish to spell "Medeco" with an E in the middle. Makes it easier for the rest of us. Thank you.

Hey, maybe Medico is a new brand? Seeing as how he's in Canada, maybe?

Wrong. Many Medeco keyways are not restricted and are available to anyone who wants them.

Let me rephrase that: "What are you studying?" (Just curious...)

Anyone who wants to hear the story can e-mail me and I will send a reply...

Some of the "anti-spam" techniques of altering e-mail addresses in use here are difficult to decode...

Even though I do get some spam from this group to my e-mail address, I feel that some of the things i have been able to discuss with other posters in private has been worth deleteing a few junk messages...

Evan, ~~formerly a maintenance man, now a college student

I sell Medeco when I have to. (Customer insists on it or expanding on existing cylinders) I do G3 keyway which I order directly from Medeco.

OTOH, I have my own ASSA keyways (sidebars) so that's what prefer to sell. ASSA will do whatever Medeco will and then some. Don't get me wrong. Medeco makes good stuff.

However, ASSA has the following advantages:

1) I can cut my own keys (ASSA's original "buy-in" is considerably lower than Medeco) so the keys cost me less.

2) When pressed for time, I can duplicate keys of a standard duplicating machine.

3) (One of my personal favorites) Lets say a customer loses a masterkey at noon on Friday. I can R&R the cylinders to flip the sidebar over, then just duplicate all the individual keys on the other blanks. (Almost had to do that last week but the keys turned up)

In my case, the trick is that there's nothing to decode. That really is my address. I'm experimenting to see whether the appearance of a "baffle" will fool the harvesters into removing it and hence not finding me.

In many ways, college was my natural habitat. Unfortunately, after four years I made the mistake of graduating... <smile/>

It will. To a large degree anyway.