While attending ADS, Inc. Warrior Expo in Virginia Beach we saw the Broco|Rankin display booth and a few of their products were placed on a table for show. They had a few interesting items on hand. The company is known for creating cutting, welding and hardfacing products and many of those products are worthy of use by the military and law enforcement. In fact, they had their newest tool, called the Ultimate Breacher Tool, on display at their ADS, Inc., booth. It is their newest multi-purpose tool for solving life’s problems.
A lot of times procurement officers are looking for the whiz-bang tool that might solve every problem however there is a tendency to overlook tools that might be just as good even if they lack the cool factor. Well, we felt the Jimmy tool was worthy of a review because it is something most police officers can use in their day to day work.
The Jimmy by Broco|Rankin is a pry bar designed to be carried by an individual that can be slipped into your MOLLE on your vest, kept in a pouch or a pocket ready for use. The Jimmy is only 10 ½ inches long with an angled 5/8 inch wide tip made of heat treated hardened steel, a non-slip cord wrapped handle, only weighing less than a ½ pound making it a small enough to not be clumsy, yet big enough to be a really nice prying tool.
Hardened materials are usually tempered or stress relieved to improve their dimensional stability and toughness. Steel parts often require a heat treatment to obtain improved mechanical properties, such as increasing increase hardness or strength. The Jimmy can withstand more than 400 lbs force without the handle bending or breaking. It did very well on every single test I put it under.
I took the Jimmy with me on patrol and SWAT training for my review. I used The Jimmy to check rear doors (without handles or knobs) of buildings to make sure they were secure instead of using my multi-tool, flathead screwdriver or pliers to pry and twist to check the door and The Jimmy worked great for this.
At training my teammates and I really gave it a going over, from steel doors with steel frames to interior wooden doors and they all liked it. The Jimmy does not replace a Halligan Tool but it does work in a pinch as long as the door isn’t a heavy security door. I found that with a little work and forceful persuasion I was able to open doors more so than not. The ‘Jimmy’ is ideal for creating that first gap in a security door or gate to make way for a Halligan or other entry tool, and maintain the gap when other tools need to be reset.
I expected the tip of The Jimmy to show signs of use (abuse) after putting it through multiple tests and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were no chips or gouges.
The finish had that used look but overall The Jimmy held up really well. I did have an issue with its resistance to rust as I had it inside a bag that got wet and it started to show rust on surface areas. I was able to clean it off the rust with some steel wool and oil however I would not recommend keeping The Jimmy outside in the elements for any period of time.
The Jimmy is small, easy to use and something that is not only for SWAT or Law Enforcement. Anyone that may need a tool for prying or wedging could benefit by having a Jimmy around. I recommend adding it to your bug out bag, backpack or even keeping it around the house or car would be handy. For only $30.00 it’s a great tool to have around. Good things often come in small packages.
Functionality: 5/5
Weight: 5/5
Durability: 3/5
Cost: 5/5
Total: 18/20
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product as a courtesy form the manufacturer via Spotter Up to use and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and based off my personal experience with the product.
Reviewed by: David Holzinger
Photos by: David and Grace Holzinger