New car-opening tools are constantly being introduced and most of them claim to be the best ever. Recently, I have found two relatively “new” tools that I really like.
The first one is the Silver Snatcher from Best Tools (Photo 1). The concept of this tool is certainly not new, but the execution is excellent. It is basically a lasso tool designed to grasp and move vertical buttons, or anything else in reach. There have been lots of tools before that did this kind of thing, but none of them does it as well as the Silver Snatcher.
The Silver Snatcher uses a steel cable loop on the end that can be expanded, contracted and rotated easily from the handle end of the tool. This cable runs the length of the tool through a steel tube that can be bent as needed to reach your objective. Try not to bend it unless you really need to. I bent mine the way I wanted it for the first job that I did with it, and it has pretty much stayed in that shape ever since. If you bend the steel tube excessively, it will eventually fatigue, break, or kink.
Let’s see how the Silver Snatcher is used to unlock the new Chevrolet Spark (Photo 2). This vehicle has a well shielded linkage inside the door that is very hard to attack with traditional tools. A gap can be easily made between the sash-style door and the frame to insert the tool (Photo 3). In this case, I’m using the lever and base plate from the Jiffy-Jak system along with the Tech-Train air wedge to open the gap. Once the gap is large enough, I insert the end of the Silver Snatcher into the gap (Photo 4) and lower it to attack the inside lock button. By rotating the rear portion of the handle, I can easily rotate the wire loop inside the vehicle until it is over the exposed lock button (Photo 5). Next, I pull back on the rear of the handle to retract the wire loop back into the tool causing it to tighten around the lock button (Photo 6). At that point, all I have to do is pull up on the tool to unlock the door.
I have found lots of uses for my Silver Snatcher including most Volvos, older Mercedes, and some GM vehicles such as the Cadillac SRX. In general, if it has a sash-style door and an exposed lock button, the Silver Snatcher can unlock it in seconds.
For more information, contact Best Tools, phone 800-541-8568. Website: www.besttoolsusa.com
Lishi 2-in-1 picksets
The second tool is not technically a car-opening tool at all. It is the Lishi 2-in-1 picksets for various applications (Photo 7). In the last month, I have used my Lishi picks to unlock a 2014 Honda Insight, a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, a 2007 Dodge Ram, the trunk on a 2008 Honda Civic, and many other vehicles. I particularly like using the Ford 8-cut (FO-38), the Chrysler 8-cut (CY-24) and the GM Z-Keyway (GM-39 & GM39W) picks for unlocking vehicles.
Last winter, I was called out to unlock a Ford E-Series van on a construction site. When I got there, I discovered that before they called me, they had tried to use an improvised long reach tool and a pry bar to unlock the van. The tool was stuck in the door, and the trim around the door and the weatherstripping on both sides of the van had been badly damaged. I decided that picking the lock would not only prevent me from being blamed for the damage, but it would also impress the heck out of the crowd that had gathered to watch. Luck was in my favor that day, and I unlocked it so easily and quickly that most of the onlookers were amazed. After that experience, I started using the Lishi tools for more lockouts.
When I go on a lockout, it is not unusual for the customer to say something like “you’re not going to use one of those long tools, are you? The last guy really messed up my door.” Whenever I hear anything like that, I’m sure to use the Lishi tool if possible.
I also keep the LKM220 plug spinner (Photo 8) from Lockmasters, Inc. handy, just in case I pick the lock in the wrong direction. I have found it to be the best plug spinner for automotive locks, as well as the most powerful. And, since the Lishi pick can be easily removed from the lock in the turned position, it is easier to just spin the plug rather than picking it a second time.
If you are unfamiliar with the Lishi 2-in-1 picks they all work in basically the same way. Once the tool is completely seated into the lock, the lever handle is folded out and used to put torque on the lock plug. Then the pick blade or blades are use to move the individual tumblers inside the lock one at a time. If a tumbler feels “springy,” you leave it alone and go to the next tumbler. When you find a tumbler that doesn’t move easily, you apply pressure to that tumbler until it “clicks.” Often you will also see a light movement in the lock plug as it rotates a fraction of a degree further. This procedure is repeated until the lock turns.
If you are using the 2-in-1 pick to decode the lock, the same pick blade(s) that you used to pick the lock are then used to decode the lock. Note: Depth markings on the tool are only useful after the lock has been picked and turned. But, the spacing marks on the tool are very useful when you are picking the lock.
As a general rule, if the lock doesn’t pick within 30 seconds or so. I’ll release all tension on the lock and start over. My personal success rate with the Lishi Tools is near 100 percent.
When shopping for a Lishi tool, make sure that you get the ones that have Mr. Lee’s picture on the handle of the tool (Photo 9). There are a lot of knock-offs being sold as the real item. I’ve used some of the knock-offs and many of them worked, but not as well as the real deal. In fact, I have a knock-off version of the Chrysler pick that has never worked for me, yet my real CY-24 pick is one of the easiest ones to use. I have examined them both side by side and cannot see a difference, but one works like a charm and the other one is useless.
For more information, contact Lishi Tools, Website: www.genuinelishi.com.
