#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).
-
#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).
Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...
...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.
To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.
So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.
The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.
How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep
at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying."Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"
Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.
First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.
If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.
Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.
Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.
Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.
Some padlocks can't be decoded even if you wanted to.
Though sometimes you can just poke it in the right spot and it'll pop faster than you could enter the combo (just don't use your favorite lockpick)
-
#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).
Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...
...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.
To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.
So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.
The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.
How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep
at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying."Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"
Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.
First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.
If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.
Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.
Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.
Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.
You can use pop can scraps, or even plastic bottle strips to shim police handcuffs (if they're not double-locked). Here, I use a slim Euro lockpick.
-
#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).
Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...
...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.
To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.
So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.
The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.
How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep
at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying."Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"
Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.
First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.
If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.
Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.
Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.
Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.
Here's a closeup view of a padlock shim. When they fail, they tend to either split along the top edge and come delaminated, or they tear along the tongue.
-
Here's a closeup view of a padlock shim. When they fail, they tend to either split along the top edge and come delaminated, or they tear along the tongue.
@alice
At first my brain processed the first photo as a chastity device. -
@alice
At first my brain processed the first photo as a chastity device.@silvermoon82 it all depends on how well you use it
️ -
#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).
Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...
...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.
To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.
So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.
The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.
How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep
at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying."Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"
Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.
First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.
If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.
Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.
Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.
Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.
@alice @deviantollam shim stock is a commodity item also
Mcmaster-carr will sell you all kinds
-
#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).
Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...
...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.
To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.
So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.
The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.
How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep
at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying."Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"
Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.
First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.
If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.
Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.
Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.
Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.
@alice Learned how to make a soda can shim from @deviantollam many years ago.. At my first BSides, I think. Myself and my kids.. Locksport is super fun.
-
Here's a closeup view of a padlock shim. When they fail, they tend to either split along the top edge and come delaminated, or they tear along the tongue.
@alice
Is the lamination for strength/rigidity? -
@alice
Is the lamination for strength/rigidity?@mister_e yeah, the top is either glued / soldered to another strip or two, or it's folded over once or twice to make an edge wide enough it doesn't cut you, and has the strength to get forced into position without bending too much.
-
You can use pop can scraps, or even plastic bottle strips to shim police handcuffs (if they're not double-locked). Here, I use a slim Euro lockpick.
@alice can you also do it while actually being cuffed (wearing the cuffs)?
this has given me ideas
ive got a set of uk police issue cuffs i need to try this on. it seems like shimming the ratchet would be easier than picking.
being able to magically shake cuffs would be a prescient skill to have -
@alice Learned how to make a soda can shim from @deviantollam many years ago.. At my first BSides, I think. Myself and my kids.. Locksport is super fun.
@XenoPhage @alice I enjoy the fact that my silly little "M shape" aluminum can shim seems to have become the standard over the years
(I don't know that I can actually fully lay claim to it.... I feel like someone *must* have come along for me and tried a similar shape in pursuit of a homemade folded shim. But a lot of people cite my videos or slides as the reason they try to do it in this fashion and that puts a smile on my face)
️
-
@alice can you also do it while actually being cuffed (wearing the cuffs)?
this has given me ideas ive got a set of uk police issue cuffs i need to try this on. it seems like shimming the ratchet would be easier than picking.
being able to magically shake cuffs would be a prescient skill to have@nflux I can pick hinged cuffs while double-locked behind my back. Just need a paperclip or a binder clip. Could probably do it with something I found in a nearby trash can too
️ -
@nflux I can pick hinged cuffs while double-locked behind my back. Just need a paperclip or a binder clip. Could probably do it with something I found in a nearby trash can too
️I hope to see a video on how to do that.
- Bonus points if you can use the opening tab of a soda can…
- For completely unrelated reasons…
- Bonus points if you can use the opening tab of a soda can…
-
I hope to see a video on how to do that.
- Bonus points if you can use the opening tab of a soda can…
- For completely unrelated reasons…
@kkarhan omg, I just watched Jeff for 13 minutes—waiting for him to steal the tab off his soda, pick his cuffs, and walk out...and it never happened!
I'm almost certain I could do that. Brb, need to raid the recycling.
- Bonus points if you can use the opening tab of a soda can…
-
@alice @nflux I mean, he has the advantages on "lower security" chained cuffs upfront, and not the single-axis hinge "eight" style ones, which I've only seen being used in Germany amidst violent offenders.
- Those usually get used with arms not parallel, but opposingly added, as to allow a person to be dragged under their shoulders by police flanking them.
-
@kkarhan well, it *is* possible, but that fucking sucked, and I wouldn't recommend it.
I broke two nails, and my wrists are pretty chewed up.
Pop tabs will work, but they're brittle and I did one side, then broke two tabs trying to get the other.
To make it work, you have to break the tab lengthwise, then bend one side into an L shape without breaking it off in the keyway. It took like 15 minutes, and three tabs. If I practiced this, I bet I could to it fairly consistently—but I don't think my wrists can take that abuse without some serious motivation.
-
@nflux I can pick hinged cuffs while double-locked behind my back. Just need a paperclip or a binder clip. Could probably do it with something I found in a nearby trash can too
️@alice wowsers! that's a neat special power to have
(sorry about your nails) -
@kkarhan well, it *is* possible, but that fucking sucked, and I wouldn't recommend it.
I broke two nails, and my wrists are pretty chewed up.
Pop tabs will work, but they're brittle and I did one side, then broke two tabs trying to get the other.
To make it work, you have to break the tab lengthwise, then bend one side into an L shape without breaking it off in the keyway. It took like 15 minutes, and three tabs. If I practiced this, I bet I could to it fairly consistently—but I don't think my wrists can take that abuse without some serious motivation.
@alice wow!
Still, that's really impressive...
And certainly less dangerous and more realistic than firing a gun at point blank range on the cuffs, which would most likely not do shit, jam the lock or get dangerous shrapnels at one's wrists.- Still, being able to spontaneously do it is evidence that it is feasible and propably only needs refinement and exercise.
TYSM for that demonstation.
- I guess we all can't wait for some sick #LockSport montage / instructable on that someday...
-
@alice wow!
Still, that's really impressive...
And certainly less dangerous and more realistic than firing a gun at point blank range on the cuffs, which would most likely not do shit, jam the lock or get dangerous shrapnels at one's wrists.- Still, being able to spontaneously do it is evidence that it is feasible and propably only needs refinement and exercise.
TYSM for that demonstation.
- I guess we all can't wait for some sick #LockSport montage / instructable on that someday...
@kkarhan having tried it, I would probably look for any other options first, like a paperclip, binder clip, piece of plastic, etc.
The pop tab runs too high a risk of breaking, or worse, breaking off inside the cuff.
-
@kkarhan having tried it, I would probably look for any other options first, like a paperclip, binder clip, piece of plastic, etc.
The pop tab runs too high a risk of breaking, or worse, breaking off inside the cuff.
@alice OFC, but still impressive and given the sircumstances it's a last-ditch - option.
