OPEN IN THIRTY SECONDS: Cracking One of the Most Secure Locks in America by MARC WEBER TOBIAS, TOBIAS BLUZMANIS (2008) Hardcover Hardcover – January 1, 2008

Okay first of all let me say this, unless you're a very dedicated hobby lock picker or a license locksmith, this book is not for you. While it may show you in-depth and how to make certain items, unless you understand the basic knowledge of it it's not going to help you break into Medeco locks.What you do get is a book full of great information especially when you work on these locks quite often. And also has sections in the book detailing other high security locks as well. Overall great book highly recommended

This book was excellent. It explained in laymans terms on how to crack Medeco locks. If you are in a position where you have to know how to pick open this lock, don't hesitate, this is the handbook for you. Whether you are a master, journeyman or apprentice locksmith, this guide will definitely steer you though the steps required to get the job done. My first attempt was about an hour, but I quickly learned the feel, as described in the book. My adjectives for the book go from enjoyable, educational and rewarding.

Open in Thirty Seconds is extremely informative and is full of helpful information about Medeco, and other "higher-security," locks. The diagrams are clear and provide excellent information concerning the functioning and operation of various locks. The only complaint I have about the book is the author's tendency to repeat some non-pertinent information several times throughout the book. Overall I would recommend this book to anybody interested in locks or lockpicking.

Really fascinating reading.

The book was well researched and had relevant pictures. But it is not really a "how to" book. As a locksmith I thought this book might help me open Medeco locks on the few times that all keys are lost or the customer needs in immediately - and that I might even be able to do it without damaging the lock... in 30 seconds no less! After reading it I'll still approach that problem the same way I always have: drill and slice with a grinder to remove the anti-drill pins and then drill the shear line. In other words, there is almost no practical information presented to show that Medeco is not secure. In fact, the length of the book suggests that it is VERY complicated to open one of these locks. The book may be a three star but I gave it two because the author(s) repeatedly suggest that all of the good secrets are contained on their government issue DVD, not allowed for the public. But really that's the stuff we all bought this book for.

Read this if you are a locksmith! Excellent source of Technical information on Medeco and a few other high security Locks

I have been a locksmith and a safe & vault technician for almost 40 years and currently managing that division of a 35 year old business with 8 service vehicles. Although this author is very intelligent and is adept at mechanical forensics I have something to say about this publication.1) In reality he should mention that their are few people with the ware with all to pull off by-passing high security cylinders much less willing to spend the time to acquire the knowledge,experience and time to pull it off. Highly secured facilites usually have access control systems including cameras at critical door openings. 2) UL437 Listed cylinders meet only requirements that are stated "resistant" to attack never allowing the word "proof".3) In the real world of crime most of security violations are committed by people who are not sophisticated, making high security cylinders a wise move. 4) Wish this book was only offered to security protection professionals who although need, want and thankfull for the informaion strongly believe this book belongs in the hands of those seeking the successful protection of people and assets.4) Look forward to the author's considerable insights to developing a patent that is not vunerable to aforementioned flaws.

Kenneth Ellman Reviews Open In Thirty Seconds by Marc Weber Tobias, Email:[email protected], Box 18, Newton, N. J. 07860, January 19, 2014 In thinking about the extraordinary books of Marc Weber Tobias it takes me back many years when I had first purchased his original edition of Locks, Safes and Security around 1971 (?), and was also reading The Master Locksmith Reference Book by Charles Courtney (1931edition), The Lure of the Lock by Hopkins(1928 edition) and the very many wonderful books obtained from the Locksmith Ledger. At that time I was a NYC Licensed Locksmith, Ademco Dealer, later a UL Listed Mercantile Safe and Vault (CVRV), etc . There was then and is much more today, a vast literature of technical Locksmith work, Safe and Vault Work , ASIS, ALOA, and many, many other publications. But very rarely and fortunately in any discipline or profession you will come upon works that stand out as incomparable. The works of Marc Weber Tobias are that. His dedication and ability in this subject is remarkable. My previous review of his other publication entitled Locks, Safes and Security, Second Edition, can be found on Amazon and at my website. SO, now we have this extraordinary story and technical study as told in “Open in Thirty Seconds” which recounts the utter and complete failure of Medeco High Security Locks used in applications all over the United States. I distinctly remember the near hysteria decades ago created by advertising and promotion of Medeco back when it could only be purchased from Sal Schillizzi of All Over Locksmiths and D. Silver Hardware in NYC.. In the NYC area where burglary was all too common, this product was in demand. Not long after Medeco hit the market, a company called Lock Technology in New Rochelle, N.Y., had developed a decoder and key machine for Medeco. Medeco had to make changes then to protect the product. But here in this account by Marc Tobias we have an entirely different situation. It is not just his exposure of the ridiculous vulnerability of Medeco, but an inescapable realization that Medeco knew of this defect and failed to protect its customers at that time. It further appears to me that instead of thanking Marc Tobias for revealing this dangerous compromise and defect so that it could be corrected, he was disregarded by Medeco. So here again is a story of that all too common human failure where many rely on the representations of safety and security made by vendors and find in fact that they are very unsafe indeed. This technical account by Tobias is an engineering, legal and social document that should be required reading in the Security, Safety and Legal field. It should be included in legal training as a possible example of Consumer Fraud and how to investigate such. It has significant historical value for the record of confrontation between the evaluator/tester of a product and the manufacturer. The incidents in this book have been previously discussed for many years now and I just never got around to writing this review. But the lessons here are again a reminder that it is better to verify assertions before contemplation of trust. What made this misrepresentation worse was the approval of this product by Underwriters Laboratories that again led many to assume the product was effective when it was not. The review is only my opinion and nothing more. You must read and research to make your own conclusions. Thank you Marc Tobias for your exemplary writings and work.Kenneth Ellman, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860, Email:[email protected]