Tryout Keys

Tryout Keys

Repo men, towing companies, security workers, and law enforcement agents may all rely on tryout keys with some regularity. Also known as auto jigglers, tryout keys, as their name indicates, are generic keys that are meant to start a variety of vehicles, though they may be used on other types of locks as well. While no generic tool can guarantee a successful entry, your odds increase when you multiply your efforts by the number of possible tryout keys on your ring, which may be as many as 15 or 20.
As with proper keys, "from-the-box" lockout tools are fashioned with a set of bumps and grooves designed to lift keyway pins into line. Some keys may enter the keyway but fail to raise or lower any pins. Others may succeed in lifting one or two pins, but not the rest. Even if one pin is left to bind a lock's plug to its housing, the key will not turn. Hence, tryout keys are mostly dependent upon luck, not skill. But in a pinch, a little luck might be enough.
The laws governing the sale of tryout keys vary from state to state. Some regions strictly forbid the sale of tryout keys to anyone other than law-enforcement officials and professional locksmiths. Other cities and states openly sell them in "spy" stores or even hardware shops. If you can't find a set in your area, you can always turn to the Internet as an alternative.
As with most products, you tend to get what you pay for with auto jigglers. If you find a retailer who makes any sort of guarantee about your tryout keys' effectiveness, proceed with caution. These tools are a crapshoot, so no there's no certainty they'll help you open anything.