Behold, fellow locksporters, the Medeco 3 Biaxial lock, aka the Medeco M3! 

Are these more difficult than the Medeco Biaxial? Well, kind of... The M3s introduced an additional slider in order to set the sidebar (driven by the extra bit of metal on the bottom portion of the key. You can see it in the first photo on both keys on the bottom side of the blade - it's a tiny shelf? ridge? thing - that pushes a spring loaded slider a specific amount into the lock, parallel with the key.) On one hand this adds yet another thing to get positioned just right in order to open the lock. On the other hand -  M3 keyways are noticeably more "open" than their Biaxial counterparts (and, frankly, most other locks.) Many pickers find that this makes the entire process easier overall. Additionally, many folks find that the slider is fairly easy to manipulate, posing very little added challenge, but this varies by picker and by lock.

A couple of quick note(s): 

• The Re-Pin Kits are meant to be ordered with a lock. I'll make sure the new pins and key fit and work smoothly in your cylinder. It'll be up to you to re-pin your lock, so make sure you're comfortable with that before ordering a set. (This is easier to do with a mortise - message me to make sure I have them if this is a requirement.) Can you order a Re-Pin Kit without a matching lock? Sure, I can't stop you, but I also can't accept any requests for specific keyways or bitting since I have no way of ensuring they'll work. If you don't care about the key and just want the extra pins, though, go for it!
• This is the 6-Pin version
• This listing is for a single lock (or re-pin kit) that will be random in terms of look and feel, bitting, etc. other than the difficulty level. If you have a preference (mortise vs KIK, bitting pattern, or anything else,) I am happy to try to get you hooked up, but I cannot guarantee that I'll have what you want. I pick up what I can get, so the supply itself is inherently random.
• eBay is great, but it doesn't have a good way to add options/variations for things like this. I'm trying to offer locks that are as customizable as possible with as many additional options as possible, but without making the listings so complicated that buying the lock is harder than opening it (even without the key!) What that means for you: 1. If I'm out of the difficulty or variety of lock you're looking for, send me a message - I can easily adjust difficulty and update the listing and sometimes I can find locks that I'm out of. (Heavy emphasis on sometimes because wow, locks are weirdly scarce and expensive these days.)
  
• If you have a question, suggestion, or other feedback... Shoot me a message! I like hearing what you think, what else you'd like to see, and what I can improve!
• Everything in the same order ships for one price - eBay (or me, I dunno,) constantly get's this wrong though. I'll refund you the difference if it charges you extra.
• The 10-day handling is to cover me in case things go wrong on my end, like a broken cutting wheel on my key machine (ask me how I know...) I'm usually pretty good about getting things out within the same week, and rarely take more than a few days. As a reminder - I really do hand-pin these to order. As much as I wish I had a bin full of locks ready to go, I don't!

These Medeco cylinders are all of the M3 (Medeco 3 Biaxial) flavor (not Original, Standard Biaxial, M4, or X4) - they have pins that must be lifted to a specific height as well as rotated to allow a sidebar to engage for the lock to open, and have the slider mechanism that engages with the sidebar. They are the next evolution after the Standard Biaxial, meaning that the "wedge" point of the pin is not centered; Instead it is biased either towards the front or the back of the lock. (In layman's terms, instead of being sharpened like a pencil, with the point in the middle, they are like a rod that has been ninja-sliced to have a single "face." I hope that helps?) Unlike the M4s, they don't have the interactive elements. (If you're not sure what that means, don't worry about it!)

Like all of my locks, these probably used to live and work somewhere else, but were swapped out for a newer, shinier model, so I've disassembled, cleaned, and readied them for a new life as a challenge lock. All of the guts are new or like-new, genuine Medeco (or maybe LAB) parts, and are checked by me for smooth and expected functionality before they get to you. I usually have a smattering of Rim and Mortise style in both 5- and 6-Pin setups to choose from, but again, I can't guarantee any specific lock.

Challenge Levels: This section has been updated as of April 2024

Normal - By default these are built with a small number of security pins that generally matches what you'd find in a factory lock and "good" bitting (which I realize is subjective, and I suppose you just have to trust me on this one, but I promise I'm genuinely doing my best to make these solid, functional locks.) If you're looking for something super entry-level OR want something more difficult but not quite "Extreme" - Add a note when you purchase and let me know, I can adjust these up or down as needed by adding/removing security pins, or choosing bitting that better matches your skill level.

The Normal Re-Pin Kit comes with 6 standard key-pins and 6 drivers (typically 2 or 3 security drivers, message me if you want this more or less difficult.) I'm not including springs by default, but will send some if you ask nicely! You can usually get these with a key, but because they're M3, I may not have any, in which case you can still get the pins.

Extreme - Right off the bat these cylinders break the rules, and are meant as true challenge locks. Locks in this category have two main differences from Normal locks: 

1. Much more aggressive bitting that likely won't adhere to the MACS rules (basically very high and very low cuts next to each other.) I try not to be too predictable with my choices (Oh look, a 6 cut on pin 1, how clever...) and I have some tricks up my sleeve to make these as tough as possible.

2. Most of, if not all, the pins will be security pins. 

Additionally, I can usually increase difficulty by modifying the pins and/or core. If you're looking for something really wild then just add a note when you purchase or shoot me a message!

The Extreme Re-Pin Kit comes with 6 key-pins and 6 drivers that are meant to be extra challenging. (For the same reasons mentioned above, I can't guarantee that every single pin will be a security pin, but I'm also not trying to rip you off - you'll probably have a couple of standard pins, but the vast majority of them will be security pins and I'll choose bitting that ensures an "extreme" rating!) Same thing here: I'm not including springs by default, but I can send some if you ask nicely! Same situation with the key - I have a few available to make kits with, but supplies are limited. You can still order the kits without keys and re-pin the locks easily as long as it's a mortise cylinder.

Some additional context:

Almost all Medeco pins have at least some additional security, so even in a lower-difficulty lock you'll likely hit a false sidebar groove on a few pins, but you will NOT see key pin serrations, mushroom drivers, and things like that. Similarly, some pins are particularly rare when it comes to extra security (like size 1 and 2 key pins, which exist but are uncommon in my collection at least.) This is a good reminder that I'm just a dude who likes making locks, so while I try to buy as much fun stuff as I can, I don't have an official Medeco supplier or an enormous bank account, so I'm doing the best with what I've got!

Custom Pinning/Bitting:

This is especially tough with M3. Feel free to ask, but honestly I just can't source the keys enough to promise anything. 

Other FAQs and Whatnot:

Can I have a specific lock from the photos? Ask, but I can't guarantee a specific lock. I don't have a specific supply, so what's available varies in style, type, and keyway. I choose them at random for each order based on the pinning requested.

Can I request a particular Medeco keyway? Also no, not really, and for pretty much the same reasons. Feel free to mention if you're looking for one, and if I have it I can certainly send it, but my supply is random and based on what I can find and fix without breaking the bank. I wish I could stock all the keyways, but you guys need to buy a LOT more locks before I can reach that point :)

Will such and such key work with this lock? Almost certainly not. Medeco has tons and tons of keyways, most of which are regional, protected, project specific, limited, or some other weird complicating factor, and a lot of it isn't really well publicly documented (and/or I don't have time to learn it.) If you get a random Medeco lock and a random Medeco key, there is about the same chance of them even fitting together as you winning the lottery, unfortunately.

Can you do X, Y, or Z? Maybe? If you have a request, just ask! I can't make any promises, but I'm always willing to try.

Why are these SO FRIGGIN' EXPENSIVE? Ugh, I feel that. Full transparency: I make some money on these, but not actually that much. This is definitely a well-enjoyed hobby for me, and my main goal is to be able to continue buying supplies (cores, pins, tools, etc.) and selling them here without going broke. I'm trying to find ways to source some of this at a lower cost, but it's been particularly tough lately. Anyhow, I get it, these are pricey, and I'm open to feedback if you have ideas or suggestions, so please drop me a note!

Happy Picking!