I really hate the local locksmiths!

[Pick-Fu]

Not you guys....

I have called around to see how much to make keys for the 2 OLD Medeco KIK's I have (00 keyway so not restricted)
I tell them I can bring in the cylinders to prove they are mine and they can decode them if they like but I already know what the cuts are. I keep getting "you will need to take them to the place that originally had them to make the keys" I tell them that it is a non restricted keyway and I can buy keys on eBay for them. The last person I talked to said "hold on a sec and I will put you on with someone who knows" he put his wife on the phone and she said "NO!" and hung up.

Well I guess they will have to wait until I get the funds to buy the 1012 cutter for the HPC1200, I will cut them my self...

I was very polite in all the conversations, I just dont know what the big deal is with the lockies up here... In Cali it would have been no problem

[mastersmith]

Call back and ask if they sell Medeco. It could be that they are ill prepared to work on them. Or they may have bought into a program and are afraid they will violate the "trust" that they have with the company. Anyway, good luck, it seems they are putting some obstacles in your path!

[Pick-Fu]

I finally got a hold of someone who wasnt ill tempered or sounding like they were stoned to all bejezes... (seriously, one guy sounded like he was taking a bonk hit when he answered the phone....)

On the very last locksmith in the area, I got a hold of a nice guy and after talking to his boss he said to bring it in to see if they have the correct key. He got a lot friendlier when I told him I used to work for a locksmith in Ca and had all my own key machines, I just didnt have the correct cutting wheel for the 1200. he said he has some of the Ilco A1515 keys there so I will be bring it in tomorrow and he will make sure they work and then cut the keys for it. I think I will bring in my BEST 7 pin locks with no pins and have him pin a couple for me so I have something to pick when I am bored...

[escher7]

Had a similar experience with a locksmith who gave me a bunch of locks and keys. He later realized one of the keys (Schlage Primus) was a restricted type and got all huffy on the phone as if I stole it or something. His fear was the same; he had signed an agreement with the manufacturer to account for every key, (as if they were going to count every key in his junk box).
Unfortunately I had modified the key to hold the side pins in place while I picked the lock, so I mailed him the key head with the serial number on it. Of course I can now pick any of his locks with the same sidebar configuration, without worrying about the finger pins.

[mseifert]

I have found going around to the local smithy shops.. That you need to develop a rapport with them .. The local smithy I deal with, I started out by going in a few times buy some items .. Local, Pins, Springs, etc.. Asking if they have/sell some higher security stuff.. Explain that I am a hobbyist/collector.. Since then I have asked them to cut me bump keys and they cut them ..

I even read one post somewhere that suggested that you bring in Pizza/Donuts and get to be known in the shop .. I am sure they suspicious when someone jumps off with question about High Security stuff.. Just my .02 cents

[Pick-Fu]

I was asking for them to cut a Key for an OLD Medeco Classic, I was going to bring in the KIK to them to prove it was mine. These people got downright hostile for no reason. If they thought it was not above board then they should have said so and I could have just said have a nice day and I will go to Joe locksmith down the road and give them my business.

At least the last guy was real cool

[Riyame]

If they have a contract with Medeco (to sell those locks) they could lose it if they were reported for making a key without the right card they could lose their contract which is why most will not do it, regardless of if you have the lock in hand.

[Pick-Fu]

If they have a contract with Medeco (to sell those locks) they could lose it if they were reported for making a key without the right card they could lose their contract which is why most will not do it, regardless of if you have the lock in hand.

Really? even the old Classic one? wow, I did not know that they would risk losing a contract for something as simple as that..

[Patrick Star]

Couldn't it be that they are afraid you stole the cylinder from a larger system and now wants their help with a little burglary? Vending machines, card terminals, ... or simply an accessible padlock keyed like the front door.

[tumbl3r]

Couldn't it be that they are afraid you stole the cylinder from a larger system and now wants their help with a little burglary? Vending machines, card terminals, ... or simply an accessible padlock keyed like the front door.

Yeah, I don't think it's unreasonable for Medeco dealers to refuse key cutting without an ownership card. Social engineering is such a problem in security, and it's entirely possible for a person to snag a little-used core from a dark corner of some building where nobody would notice for a few days. That said, there is absolutely no reason for them to get huffy and indignant.

[jeffmoss26]

an easy alternative would be to have them rekey the cylinders with new keys + authorization card.

[Riyame]

If they have a contract with Medeco (to sell those locks) they could lose it if they were reported for making a key without the right card they could lose their contract which is why most will not do it, regardless of if you have the lock in hand.

Really? even the old Classic one? wow, I did not know that they would risk losing a contract for something as simple as that..

It is true. They have to pay a lot of money to sell Medeco and one of the parts of the contract is they are not allowed to cut keys without a proper card. If they do it once they can lose their contract.

If they are not an authorized Medeco reseller then it is just likely what Patrick Star said, they consider that you might have taken them from a local system.

[aoyue2702]

My local locksmith "doesn't fool with medeco"

[Papa Gleb]

Dude, let me ask you a question, did they ask if you own the lock or did you say that you own it first? Just thinking if someone came to me asking to cut keys and saying they own the lock without me asking them, it will make me feel like something is fishy. I feel if someone tries to justify ownership then chances are they dont own it. Why would someone say they own it if not asked unless they

To give you an idea of how things are in NY, next to my job, there are 3 locksmiths walking distance away and by my house there are also 3 also walking distance apart and walking about 5-10m so there are a lot and Brooklyn isnt that small. I made it a mission to visit each and make friends. Out of the 80% I visited, 60% are very skeptical when I ask them question until I tell them that Im a hobby and lock enthusiast then their arms and ears are wide open and I can spend hours chatting. The others would look at me like im a criminal regardless of what I said and I am always polite, respectful always offer to pay so its no reason on my part but just the person. The pizza is actually a great idea. I got so friendly with one of the smiths by my house that he lends me his tools and even his HPC blitz upon request. I had a car lock out call but no tools so i gave it to him, his response was come take my tools.

[Pick-Fu]

I was trying to tell the first guy that I picked them up at the local Restore in a box of other lock stuff.... thats when he put me on the phone with the wife who said NO and hung up. Its ok, I went to Yelp and said what they did so when someone looks them up they will see the rating. I at least found a guy with some good communication skills and his boss wanted me to bring in the lock (im sure to make sure that it was mine) and I said no problem... and will be asking him to do the re-bidding on the lock instead of just keying it. I will be using these on a future storage shed that will house my reloading supplies and lock stuff so I want them as hard to pick/bump/drill/blowup etc.. as possible

I wish I would have known about how some may take my asking about a Medeco as something criminal... and is the reason I started telling them that its OLD and not a restricted keyway any more and will bring it in to make sure that I own it.. (I would even let them talk to the Restore guy to make sure that I bought it there) I wonder what they would say if I told them that I had an MX KIK and around 30 blank keys for it? their head may explode..