Changing Times

Slim Jims were great auto entry tools when they were first produced. They worked very well because older cars had more space between the weather stripping and the window, for one thing. Also, cars in those days did not usually have power windows and locks, and they certainly did not come with side air bags.

Now, the locks on most cars are high security locks. As manufacturers produced cars with more and better anti-theft features, auto entry tools had to shift also. Car thieves can afford to be a bit forceful and destructive in their entry attempts. Car owners, and the professional locksmiths they call on, want into the car, but with no damage, if possible.

Modern Auto Entry Tools

Jiggler keys are a must in locksmith supplies. These look kind of like keys, and they are designed to slip into the keyway of many locks and most car locks. Most professionals also use wedges: soft wedges and sliding wedges. Other handy auto entry tools for modern cars include assorted handles, couplings, and rods for reaching into cars.

Impressioning is an old method of creating a workable key out of a blank. It takes expert skills to cut the new key rapidly. To simplify, a blank key is inserted into the lock several times in order to "read" the marks made on the blank by the pin tumblers. These marks tell a locksmith where to make a cut. Still commonly used by people who know their craft, impressioning creates a new key for the lock, and leaves no scratches on or in the lock.