One of the most heard references in lock picking, lock making, and from locksmiths is the term ‘Slim Jim’.
No, it is not a person, but a little piece of equipment which is more commonly known as ‘lockout tool’.
This is a specialty piece of equipment used in automobiles, and is also one of the most common ways in which you can get into your car if you got locked out. However, most of the recent models of cars have put in technology that renders the old slim jims obsolete.
Anyway, you would probably have used some kind of an improvised slim jim if you got locked out of your car. It is a known fact that by putting in a slim piece of metal between the beading and the window of your front door, you can jimmy your car lock and open it, gaining you access to the keys you left inside. That is precisely what a slim jim does, with a bit more ease. As you can see from the pic (credit – Wikipedia) above, there are different kinds of slim jims that can be purchased in the market. While some are the plain old sheets of steel, others are more complex and come with a small hook or file at the end that goes into your car door. This is so you can hook the lock rod and pull it if just the jim does not do the task.
It has been said that car locks can be damaged if you exert undue force onto the lock by the use of a jim, but it is not conclusive. Many people we know have a small piece of metal that they put under the hood or affix it into a tyre well, just for this emergency. Most of the old cars and station wagons pop up with a simple plastic scale, and that is how many car robberies have happened in the country. But you can’t refute the claim that this is a seriously useful piece of metal! Some of the most frustrating moments are when we forget the keys in the car or misplace them somewhere else, and the car is locked when we get to it. Especially if you are on a long tour, and if the second set of keys is in the drawing room of your home, you are done for! Having access to a country wide 24/7 locksmith is the best alternative, but if you can’t find someone in your phone book or locally at the city, you are in trouble! That is when having a slim jim becomes invaluable!
But like we said, modern cars don’t allow for slim jims to open doors, and they have an additional layer of security built into the door itself to ensure that a piece of metal does not slip in between the door beading and the window glass. Some cars even go one step ahead and cover the locking rod and lever with a piece of metal so that the jim can’t reach them! The only thing you can do is hope that you have an automobile locksmith somewhere nearby, or you can try calling your car manufacturer helpline and ask for help. Since most of the car dealerships help out customers who get locked out, you can expect some help, albeit in a while.
But the usage of slim jims has not reduced across the country. If you look at the tool kit of a professional locksmith, you are sure to find a few kinds of slim jims, so that any kind of a car can be opened. We still remember the day when we got locked out of our old SUV, and when we called our car manufacturer, the lady at the help desk simply asked us to find a thin piece of metal and insert it into the window. Imagine our surprise when the lock popped up!! It is actually a wonder that more car-jackings did not happen during that era!
Even today, most of the older cars (of say 5 years ago or so) can be opened with a slim jim. For a more recent model, you should call an automobile locksmith if you happen to get locked out!
