Grand Opening: Up to 20% Off. Valid for the grand opening period through December 31, 2026. One offer per job. Offers cannot be combined. No discount on emergency, lockout, or after-hours service, car keys / automotive, or service calls.
Medeco cylinders, the sidebar, and a card that is checked before the cutter moves
Medeco service treats the cylinder, the key, and the card as one system. The card is verified. A key is cut only for an authorized holder. The cylinder is installed so the sidebar engages. The key is recorded. An unchecked card, an aftermarket copy, sidebar drag, and the wrong cam are the reasons a Medeco 'almost' works and then binds.
Call it when you already have Medeco or you have decided that is the keyway. A generic high-security conversation can start on the other page if you have not chosen a brand. Bring the card. If the card is lost, start with that sentence.
M3 and Maxum, cams, and aftermarket copies that will not turn
Card check, an authorized cut, a sidebar that seats, and a record are the visit. Cutting from a photo of a key is not. UL 437 and Medeco's own key-control rules are the limits. We do not file an aftermarket blank until it kind of turns.
Offices that inherited Maxum deadbolts and M3 mortise cylinders sometimes assume one card covers both. We read what the card actually authorizes. A wrong cam in a mortise will make a good key feel bad. The cam is matched before anyone blames the bitting.
Frequent questions
What do you do if the Medeco card cannot be found?
We do not cut a key. The holder starts the card recovery the factory requires. A rubbing of the old key is not a substitute for the card.
How do you know the sidebar is engaged?
The key turns without the drag that means the sidebar is riding. A key that needs a jiggle is adjusted or the cylinder is repinned. We do not send you away with a jiggle.
Will an aftermarket Medeco-looking key work in a pinch?
No, and forcing it damages the sidebar. If a previous copy is already stuck in the story, we inspect the plug before a genuine key is cut.
Can one card cover both the M3 cylinders and the Maxum deadbolts?
Only if that card was issued for both. We read it. Assuming the logo matches is how the wrong blank gets cut.