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ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme

Premium Member

Medeco or Mul-T-Lock?

Any real advantages/disadvantages between the two? Looking to replace my locks with higher security ones that are not the typical Lowes Depot special. Any other recommendations?

Msradell
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

Msradell

Premium Member

Most places that I've worked have used Medeco in office environments, many in secure areas with do not duplicate warnings on individual keys. There quite a bit more expensive than traditional locks but it's the case that you get what you pay for.
nonymous (banned)
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ

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Make sure the doors can not just be kicked in.
Or on some residential in Phoenix foreget the strong security door and bust out the thin stucco wall next to it.
Also secure windows etc. See a srong lock and just do something else to get in easier.

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

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Locks are for honest people.
A hydraulic spreader defeats virtually any lock in under 30 seconds.

mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

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We use Mul-T-Lock at work. Personally I think it's pointless as no one is gonna dick around with picking it; a boot or prybar to the door or a brick to the window are both WAY more likely. Even if someone did decide to pick it, they still need to deal with the alarm system and offsite recording cameras.

/M
lutful
... of ideas
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join:2005-06-16
Ottawa, ON

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said by ilikeme:

Any other recommendations?

The Medeco at my business premises was replaced with Abloy by a very reputable locksmith ... so perhaps you can also consider that option.

I forgot all the reasons they are more secure than Medeco, but I see that the Abloy keys have more angles at the edges.

ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

1 recommendation

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And a .45 defeats the person with the spreader.
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym

Premium Member

said by ptrowski:

And a .45 defeats the person with the spreader.

Not if the spreader is backed up by a SWAT team... SWAT team beats .45!

ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

ptrowski

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Always a bigger fish in the sea!!

OptIn
@74.89.71.x

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Never heard of Abloy before . . . until I looked them up.
According to Wikipedia, Swedish company Abloy has acquired (owns) Yale, Mul-T-Lock AND Medeco -- to just name a few!

Reminds me of the funeral home business in the U.S. Many seemingly independent names but they are all under the corporate umbrella of Service Corp.

PSWired
join:2006-03-26
Annapolis, MD

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»New doors and hardware

»Medeco locks for residential use

I chose Medeco last year when replacing my doors and locks. Honestly, any type of "high security" lock will be better than your standard Schlage or Kwikset pin tumbler residential lock. Schalge Primus, Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, etc all provide some degree of pick and bump protection over standard locks.

That said, as others have pointed out, locks are only one piece of the security puzzle, and you need to evaluate the doors, frames, windows, skylights, walls, etc. etc. etc. to get a comprehensive look at your security situation.

If you decide to go with Medeco, here's an online dealer that was very helpful and had the best pricing I could find:

»www.lockitstore.com/

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme

Premium Member

I forgot about your posts regarding this! I will check out that online dealer.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

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I asked a friend who was on a local SWAT team what kind of door was the hardest to use with their ram and he said that Mobile Home doors were sometimes a pain in the ass to break open because they were not rigid. If you didn't hit them square on the door knob the ram would bounce off the door sometimes with a similar force.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

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We use Medeco seems like a decent lock
Subaru

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said by OptIn :

Never heard of Abloy before . . . until I looked them up.
According to Wikipedia, Swedish company Abloy has acquired (owns) Yale, Mul-T-Lock AND Medeco -- to just name a few!

Reminds me of the funeral home business in the U.S. Many seemingly independent names but they are all under the corporate umbrella of Service Corp.

I'm pretty sure the regional HQ are in New Haven on Sargent Dr.

They (Sargent) must of been around long enough to give a whole street a name after them.

runnoft
Premium Member
join:2003-10-14
Nags Head, NC

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There have long been critics saying that Medeco has not afforded extra security and so is not a good value. Below is a link to a website with discussion of this. I have no idea whether it's accurate or just sour grapes from competitors, though this site doesn't read like sour grapes to me. What the site says is that Medeco locks produced prior to 2008 are easily compromised today, and Medeco locks made in the 2008-2011 period were in the process of being upgraded and fixed to address the issues they discussed. New Medeco locks being made now are said on this site to be much better, though they recommend other brands as better values anyway.

The problem can be, if the site is to be believed, that the customer has no easy way to verify whether the lock purchased in 2014 is truly new or has upgraded parts, or is older and less secure inventory, as dealers were permitted to continue to sell the older stuff that was not upgraded until they used it up. It can come down to whether or not you trust the dealer. Obviously YMMV. You also don't know whether Mul-T-Lock or any other competitor you're considering has its own issues. Lock security, like Internet security, is a constantly moving target which can make a large investment in a high-end solution a waste of money a few years from now--it's not a long-term investment!

»medecoproblems.com/

PSWired
join:2006-03-26
Annapolis, MD

PSWired

Member

These are the same guys who did this defcon talk:

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· RZnafgQk


They seem to have a major bone to pick with Medeco for some reason. Though they do bring up a few important vulnerabilities. Also, this talk was presented before the advent of cheap rapid prototyping machines.

sk1939
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join:2010-10-23
Frederick, MD
ARRIS SB8200
Ubiquiti UDM-Pro
Juniper SRX320

sk1939

Premium Member

Medeco is an easy target due to it's ubiquitous application. Next time you go to a commercial vendor, take a look and see if it's a Medeco cylinder on the door or display case. It dosen't really matter how secure you are, if your a tempting enough target, then someone is going to find an exploit somewhere.

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme

Premium Member

said by sk1939:

Medeco is an easy target due to it's ubiquitous application. Next time you go to a commercial vendor, take a look and see if it's a Medeco cylinder on the door or display case. It dosen't really matter how secure you are, if your a tempting enough target, then someone is going to find an exploit somewhere.

Around here a lot of commercial and educational establishments seem to use Best, Corbin Russwin, Medeco, or Schlage.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

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Get an alarm system because any lock/door can be defeated. The alarm will call the central station who will call police if the lock/door is defeated. Security in layers. Just my two cents. I'd have a gun but the permits where I live are a nightmare to obtain and the liability isn't worth the risk.

I'm finally getting wireless monitoring on mine.

jeffmoss26
join:2002-07-22
Beachwood, OH

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Both companies are owned by Assa Abloy, who owns the majority of the major lock manufacturers.
Medeco is a pin tumbler lock with angled pins and a sidebar, Mul-T-Lock is a dimple lock with telescoping pins. Both locks are good, tough but not impossible to pick, and offer key control (at least until the patents run out)

I think the cylinder is important, but the hardware itself also needs to be strong. A high security lock is useless in a grade 3 deadbolt, for example.
jeffmoss26

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You are correct, Sargent started in CT and the HQ remains there even though they are part of Assa Abloy.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium Member
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

Premium Member

Yeah it's not hard to miss the Assa Abloy sign and being next to Ikea.. do you know when Sargent started in CT? From all the stuff around it must of been before the 60's?

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

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said by IowaCowboy:

Get an alarm system because any lock/door can be defeated. The alarm will call the central station who will call police if the lock/door is defeated. Security in layers. Just my two cents. I'd have a gun but the permits where I live are a nightmare to obtain and the liability isn't worth the risk.

I'm finally getting wireless monitoring on mine.

Just had that installed on Friday! It is a Honeywell Vista 20p. It has hardwired contacts on every exterior door and window, glass breaks in every room, motions in the main areas, master, and hall, and smoke detectors throughout. No sensors on the system are wireless as most of those are junk that need constant battery replacements. It communicates with an dual path ipDatatel broadband connection/Verizon cellular transmitter. I am also installing cameras outside with a DVR hidden inside with remote access.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

I'd love to have a Honeywell Vista 20P system. Hard wired systems are too complex to install.

My alarm company uses DMP. I installed the Alexor system myself and had them take it over.

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme

Premium Member

Wired systems are harder to install, but worth it. Never have to worry about batteries dying or interference. I did not want anything wireless on the system besides the cellular/broadband transmitter. I installed most of the Honeywell glassbreaks and Bosch tri-tech motions my self to save some money. Whole system installed was right around $2000. My alarm company mainly installs GE/UTC in residential, but will install Honeywell on larger installs or by request.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium Member
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

Premium Member

The alarm system here is wireless, I still don't know how that one sensor downstairs had a supervisory tamper.

The crazy thing is I set the alarm one day and hid in a room out of view and walked right in front of the PIR sensor near the side door and the alarm never went off.. so I walked down the hallway where the other one was and it went off along with a instant calling of alarm company.. ended up getting a charge for that but I know now to call to say I'm doing a test next time

But yeah I don't know why that sensor is like that unless it requires you to move into view of another sensor..

it's a GE system

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme

Premium Member

Did the sensor light up when you walked in front of it?

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium Member
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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No but the battery is fine because it will report to the station

jeffmoss26
join:2002-07-22
Beachwood, OH

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Well you're right with 60s...1860s!!

»www.sargentlock.com/about/