Illustration by Tetsuta Nagato for Wired.com

Charles Graeber has an excellent pieces(s) in the print and on-line versions of Wired

The gist of this is that Medeco cylinders – which are by all accounts harder to pick than standard lock cylinders – are, given the right technique, vulnerable to picking/bypass in under a minute. Since they’re used in sensitive installations – the White House, DOD, and place likes people’s houses where they’re worried about protecting family and property and paying a premium for it – this is important.

For responders trying to get through doors to aid or evacuate persons inside – and are likely to use more vigorous methods too noisy or destructive for burglars – this may not mean much.

For those charges with protecting houses or installations, it may mean that the money spent on Medeco cylinders is wasted – not to mention the 300 – 400% premiums on having additional keys made.

Via Wired

(and the current print issue on the  stands),

• The Ultimate Lock Picker Hacks Pentagon, Beats Corporate Security for Fun and Profit(web only);
  

• The Ultimate Lock Picker Hacks Pentagon, Beats Corporate Security for Fun and Profit(yes, it has the same title – but this link is to the complete article;
• Medeco’s emailed response to Wired

From the indispensable folks at Popular Mechanics. Seems worth having in a go-bag. Since we’re of the belief that “go” should be organized in groups, with great attention paid to weight – we’re reluctant to suggest one in every go bag – but one or two in every group seems sounds.

The six features are:

• side-cutting electrician pliers. According to Popular Mechanics, “Cut into both its jaws is a heavy-duty cross hatching that grips with a vengeance.” That is, powerful pliers, and

• wire-cutting capability

• gas shut-off wrench – and on the same handle

• a pry bar.

• On the opposite handle, a spanner wrench and

• a glass punch for breaking through car windows

Channellock 6-N-1 Rescue Tool from Popular Mechanics’ Best of the 2008 National Hardware Show. by Roy Berendsohn.

From Toolmonger’s excellent post on Halligan tools, When You’re Outside And Need To Get Inside

When you absolutely positively need to be inside a building two minutes ago, you need a Mini Pro-Bar. Fire and rescue crews commonly reach for this Halligan-type tool

as a one-stop multi-tool for forcing entry into a building.

Whether you need to snap padlocks, rip down plaster, rip out recessed or flush cylinder locks, or pry open doors, the Mini Pro-Bar has you covered. Made from 4130 aircraft steel, the knurled shaft recesses into both the fork and adz/pike ends and is heat-pressed and welded. The adz and fork also double as nail pullers and gas shut-off tools.

Fire Hooks Unlimited sells the Min Pro-Bar in two versions: the 16? bar weighing 3-1/4 lbs and the 20? bar weighing 3-1/2 lbs.  Either Mini Pro-Bar will run you about $75 — getting caught with one in your trunk while wearing a black ski mask will probably cost you a bit more than that.

Toolmonger’s post has, as always, good pricing and  source information.

To engage in a small amount of local chauvinism, the Halligan tool is named for Hugh Halligan, its designer, First Deputy Chief, FDNY. As is the Kelly Tool ,  “named after its designer, Captain John F. Kelly of H&L Company 163 (FDNY). ” (Quoting Wikipedia article on Kelly Tool, accessed 16 June 2007).

The Kelly, Halligan, Denver Tool and K-Tool are all familiar to volunteer firefighters and other first responders – and part of the training, and usable and available tools of CERTs and other community-based groups. As we’ve seen in reports from Iowa, freeing a trapped person or animals from a flooded house has frustrated a number of people trying to rescue their own neighbors. We propose that perhaps these tools, and others, shouldn’t solely be in the province of professional responders.