textfiles/anarchy/LOCKPICKING/shimming.ana

***************************************
*	    SHIMMING DOORS	      *
*-------------------------------------*
* (Or Don't bother picking that lock) *
*-------------------------------------*
******** By => The Inspectre <= *******
***************************************

  The whole technique of shimming doors is a little known fast way to open most
of the 'lock in knob' type of doors without even looking at the lock.  The
theory is the same as the old tried and true credit card, but from the other
side of the door.

  This technique only works on doors with a latch looking like this (top view):


---------------------------------------

	----!
	    !
	    !-\
this is the !  \  <- this is the latch
door	    !---+
	    !
	----!

	(you are here)

---------------------------------------
  Once you have found a door like this, then you need the tool to do it (or you
want one for a 'B&E kit')

  To make one, take some sheet metal about 22ga (about 1/3 of the thickness of a
floppy disk for you non-metalworking types) (really any thin, strong metal will
do) in a strip about 1/2 inch wide and 7 1/2 inches long, take this and fold it
over on itself between the 4 1/2 and 5 inch mark like this:
---------------------------------------

     -------------------------------
     !	   metal  (before)	   !
     -------------------------------

		^
	      fold here

     ---
     ! !
     ! !
     ! !
     \ +-------------------
      \! metal (after)	   !
       \-------------------

      (This is all flat)


---------------------------------------

  Now hit the fold with a hemmer a couple of times to thin it down and flatten
it out.  You should now have a 'L' shaped thin piece of metal (you need to do
the folding of the corner for strength, just a 'L' shaped piece of metal won't
work very well and will tear at the corner).


Now what you've all been waiting for...

How to use it:

  Take your 'L' down to the door you want to use it on, and push it in the crack
between the door and the doorframe just below the latch, lift it and pull back
while pulling on the door, the 'L' will slide the latch back into the door and
the door will open.  Here it is in pictures:

---------------------------------------

1) Where to put it:

	   ----+ +---
	door   ! !  doorframe
	       ! !
     knob -> O !*! <- the latch
	       ! !
 insert  -> !  !X!
	----/  !X!
	       ! !

     (fromt view except 'L')

--------------------------------------

2) How to do it:


   a) in	! door !
		!    ! !
		! !*)! ! <- latch
    shim -> ---------/ !
		!      !


  I.  ^^ move up from here
  II.  pull back when in position a)
  III.	^ while pulling knob
  IV.  Open door, walk in

  It takes some practice, try it on an open door of this type to see what
happens.

---------------------------------------

  If it will not fit, or the latch is extra stiff, put a screwdriver in the
crack over the latch and pry it open If the latch has a small flat space before
the slant, you will have to pry the crack open, and use another (small)
screwdriver to inch the latch back into the door a bit).

  With one of these tools, I can open almost all of the doors in my school, and
most of them faster than the people with the key can.  (put in + pull up (3
secs), pull back on knob and 'L' (3 secs), walk in.

  Have fun with it, and don't let the secret out to the lock manufacturers!

	 => The Inspectre <=

Soon to come: Disabling burglar alarms
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