SHIMS! NO NEED TO BUY THEM.

by **Lauren** » 21 Oct 2006 23:06

Years ago, I discovered an abundant source of shims. They're secretly packaged in just about everything we buy; otherwise, known as sensormatic lables. They're used as a triggering devise in many retail stores to alert cashiers of possible shrink. Just go to one of your DVD movie jackets. You'll find a small, raised, plastic sticker inside, about 1.5 inches long and .5 inches wide. Carefully, remove the tag and cut the short end off with scissors. You'll find the perfect shim metal inside. It's thin, flexable, and yet rigid enough.

by **blake1803** » 21 Oct 2006 23:33

Seems like someone has a new source for shim material each week. I believe these have been covered already.

Where's the sport in a known bypass, anyway? No fun !

by **raimundo** » 22 Oct 2006 10:42

the shims hes talking about are not for bypass, only for cylinder disassembly. you can also make padlock shims, some people here speak of using metal from cans, but aluminum is soft, and steel cans are often too thick, as well as being mild steel. I use the stainless steel spring that steadys the reels inside a VHS tape cassette, for the combo locks that are the most amenable to shimming. the type of shim I make is not for swinging around the shackle but for pushing straight in over the locking dog,
I cut off a piece about an inch and a half or two inches long, then hammer a screwdriver shaft onto one end poised over some softwood that will take the dent but bend the thin metal. after shaping one end with the screwdriver shaft so that it is rounded, I use a tin snips to make a custom tip rounded to present a curved surface to the locking dog. this can be shoved straight down on the locking dog. after cutting the edge with the snips, it is necessary to use a file to deburr and shape the shim. an angle of about 45 degrees works well, but do not make that straight, a bit of a curve will make it so that the actual area of contact is small thus reducing friction lockup as it presses back the dog. This sort of shim will be a bit difficult to operate for the first few times, but after that, the curvature of the shim becomes fitted to the hole and it works well. they can be straightend out for carry, but when using, bend the end you will be holding to about 90 degrees, giving you a handle to press down on with your thumb.

by **Schuyler** » 22 Oct 2006 12:45

Welcome to LP101 Lauren. A lot of us have been using those for a while, aren't they awesome? Whenever I'm at a friend's house I raid their CD/DVD collections for them. I was pretty bummed when the guy at autozone pulled one off of the battery I was buying for my car, but thought it would be weird to ask him if I could keep it

Anyhow, glad to have you here. You should read some of the stuff by Illusion, that's where I learned where to find the security tag shims.

by **Exodus5000** » 22 Oct 2006 18:36

Holy Crap a GIRL! :shock:

by **Exodus5000** » 22 Oct 2006 18:42

Also, I'd like to see a picture of those shims you're talking about ray...

by **digital_blue** » 22 Oct 2006 18:52

Exodus5000 wrote:Holy Crap a GIRL!

Tough call. Lauren could be either gender.

by **melvin2001** » 22 Oct 2006 20:21

*crosses fingers hoping its a chick*

http://www.lockpickshop.com/p-LSMOV100.html

look familiar? it actually made me giggle when i saw that because i have been tearing those things out of CD cases (i just raided my DVD collection yesterday) for awhile. now you can get 100 for the low low price of $15.95. ACT NOW!!! this is a once in a life time opportunity to own 100 of your very own thin peices of metal that you can rip out of EVERYTHING you buy!

by **Romstar** » 22 Oct 2006 20:28

melvin2001 wrote:*crosses fingers hoping its a chick*

http://www.lockpickshop.com/p-LSMOV100.html

look familiar? it actually made me giggle when i saw that because i have been tearing those things out of CD cases (i just raided my DVD collection yesterday) for awhile. now you can get 100 for the low low price of $15.95. ACT NOW!!! this is a once in a life time opportunity to own 100 of your very own thin peices of metal that you can rip out of EVERYTHING you buy!

Oh calm down.

I have used both, and the ones you buy are of better quality actually, and thinner. Thats important when you are working with higher quality locks.

Romstar

by **melvin2001** » 22 Oct 2006 20:31

yeah i'll just go back into my corner and play with my kwiksets now :cry:

by **Romstar** » 22 Oct 2006 20:52

melvin2001 wrote:yeah i'll just go back into my corner and play with my kwiksets now

I rarely use smileys. I was teasing you. Come out of the corner and play with the rest of the kids.

Romstar

by **jimmysmith** » 15 Jan 2007 4:15

I tryed the little metal strips on a brinks padlock....didnt work, and honestly i dont see how it could have they are not strong enough. they have the good thinness but they are just to week.
As for the vhs thing...Well i am about to try i will let you know.

by **Shrub** » 15 Jan 2007 8:36

Jimmysmith, it helps if you read the whole thread and the replies, you have misunderstood,

There are 2 common types of shims, a shim is just a thin piece of material that is used to buildup a thickness or in this case to slide inbetween somthing,

The 2 common shims used in locks are
1) for shimming a padlock and
2) for disasembleing cylinder locks,

Guess which type of shim this thread is meant to be about :wink:

by **Stash** » 17 Jan 2007 18:06

Yeah, I had a "raiding party" around my house a few weeks ago, the first time I needed any of these shims and got about 20 or so of them. I used to tear them off for no apparent reason, now I'm regretting that cause I could've used some of those.

Oh well, I got enough to last for a while.
~Stash

by **Deathadder** » 17 Jan 2007 21:03

I use really thin feeler gauge, it works great

SHIMS! NO NEED TO BUY THEM.

SHIMS! NO NEED TO BUY THEM.

bypass?

shims

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