Cylinder shims

[Eyes_Only]

Have a quick question. Hobbyists will make shims used for taking apart a cylinder without a key out of soda cans by cutting them to shape since this may be cheaper than buying professional shims but do some locksmiths do this kind of thing as well rather than buying commercially made shims?

[freakparade3]

Do hobbiests really do that? I would have thought pop cans are to thick for cylinder shims. I have heard of using the metal from security tags bur it's a pain. I just bought a pack of cylinder shims. They are cheap, if you are careful you can reuse them many times, and a film canister holds them nicely.

[Eyes_Only]

On real sloppy locks they work.

[linty]

good shims for taking apart locks are absolutely essential. A pop can would be way too thick I'd guess but shims aren't really that expensive anyways.

[Shrub]

As linty says the shims are so cheap its not worth making things, you will find most lockies simply buy everything as time is money and if they are earning a decent amount they have no need to waste time making somthing they can get next day,

Shims to me are around £2.50 for 25 ($5) so its really not worth it, im still on my first pack of 25 to be honest,

Once you get cylinder jigs you dont use them much anyway and most places who regulary repin have some sort of jig,

[kissnatcher1]

just a little fyi you can use the thin strip in the rdi security tag.just use a razor slice open and pull the tag apart then you may have to cut down to size but as shrub said not really a place you would want to skimp on cost if you are doing it for a cust but if it was just for you practice locks why not..james

[Eyes_Only]

Okay, thanks guys. That pretty much answered my questions.

[Shrub]

The security shim idea isnt new but having recently tried that the stips are way too thin or the wrong material, double them up and they wont fit in some locks (not the one i tired) i think they may be ok for the cheaper locks but dont trust them for anything complicated,

[rocketmn333]

i use soda can shims all the time, the second it rips or tears throw it away trust me, dont double them up for strength, just slip it in as far as it will go down, then pull up on the metal part, sorry forgot what its called, then turn the shim counter clock wise or just wiggle it around and walla its open

[Shrub]

Rocket, you are talking about somthign differant to what we are,

Pop cans will not fit most locks,