Lockout

Jun 29, 2004 Last reply: 22 years ago 19 Replies

I have one for you all. I am not a locksmith but I have been doing some alarm work for a couple and picked up some things. For instance, I learned how to slim jim a car and actually have my own set.



So, I am at Safeway and there is a commotion with the FD and Police. I just wander over to see what is going on. Well a kid was locked in. This kid is about five or six and scared as hell.



I go over with my big bad slim jim set. I am ready to rock and roll....I actually want to play with my new toy. I am about to put the wedge in the door when I glance over.....



Yep, I stop, walk around the car and open the door. 3 cops, 6 firefighters, and one mother. The passenger door was unlocked.



Sigh. I never got to use my tools. Damn.



Some days you just can't win.....

Leon

Derek Ollom wrote:

LOL! Got an "Emergency call. Woman's pet dog jumped on the lock button and was traped in the car. Poor lady was really upset aand demanded I drop everything and rush right over. Got there and verified the car in the driveway was the right one. Walked over, reached in and petted her dog for a second - reached through the open window and pulled up the unlock button with my fingers. Lot's of humor in this job!!

had one at a garage sale one time, the button was flat on the arm rest part, and he stepped on it, 'guarding the car', so they chased him back and forth for 5 minutes, letting him still guard the car, and he stepped on it AGAIN, unlocking it.

--Shiva--

Yow! Does anyone left in the world use a flat bar tool for anything? I'm in the twilight zone......

(So you pushed the button down, slammed the door, and then used your tool?)

YEP !. I have a couple of standard ones, and a few that I have altered for use with the HPC Air wedge, for 'through the door' entry methods. They are better than round rods as you only have to pump the door out a fraction, and used in conjunction with a plastic sleeve (envelope) you won't mark the rubbers or paint, and your in in seconds.

I have to agree with you there, and am thinking the same thing as well, plus making a couple of special purpose ones.. the amount you got to jack it open to me is a bit extreme --Shiva--

Geez, I oughta not cut mine up for scrap about ten years ago.....

I never, ever use a flat bar tool. I'm so completely puking sick and tired of hearing the line "Oh, just like the cops use". I get so totally tired of explaining that it's "Oh, cops just like the locksmiths use".

The best use I've found for mine is to guide my under the window tool out the the top gets hung up on the lip of the weather strip comming back out.

I have used it like Steve also. I've found you still need to be careful of scratching, but that would be true of any metal tool against paint. I've made a cardboard sleeve. I've also drilled the end and made a lasso of sorts.

Mike Thomas Lock & Key For an email list discussion of locksmith related marketing concepts join us:

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Have you ever tried to jack a Volkswagen Vans door ?. You'll burst your air wedge before you will get the door to move even a fraction. They are built like a brick sh*t house. !

Can't say that I have. Sounds like I hope I never have to.<g>

Mike Thomas Lock & Key For an email list discussion of locksmith related marketing concepts join us:

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I use mine quite a bit. If fact, I get a kick out of it when some cop, firefighter, security guard..ect has been playing with a slim jim for the last 20 minutes with no success at all, then I arrive, hop out of my van with the exact same tool, slide it into the door, and pop it open in 5 seconds.

Of course beforehand I explain to the customer that I'm not going to be responsible for any damage the cop, firefighter, security guard...ect may have done prior to my arrival.

BTW, hi everyone, been lurking here for a while, thought I'd start contributing.

Majestic

for

when some cop,

slim jim for

hop out of

and pop it

not going to

security

I'd start

hope ya also get that in writing !

Yup, before I ever touch the vehicle.

Also learned a long time ago to get paid in advance on openings whenever possible, and if the customers wallet is locked inside I grab the keys as soon as the vehicle is open.

Hate it when customers want to renegotiate the price after the work is done.

A friend of mine stands about 6 foot 2, and built like a football player. Really great guy. Gentle, too.

He tells me how he opened a car one time, he quoted $40. He got the car open promptly, and the customer complained that he wasn't going to pay $40 for that!

So, he throws the keys back into the car, locks it, and starts to walk away. The guy did a sudden attitude shift. Had to be to the airport y'know.

well, he did open the car a second time, but charged him again for the second opening.

I personally wouldn't double the bill like that, but it did make the point.

I can understand that. Ah, well. The one car lockout I did a couple weeks ago, I don't have any clue what the cops did. But both front doors were totally jammed shut. I did manage to get the car open, through a back door. But it was a two hour long miserable job.

He

that

did

its NOT really double billing when the job has to be done twice...

g'day

The only tool you use is a fuckign brick you s*it head.

Forgot to bring yopur fuckign brick that day huh?

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