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This is not my idea, its been floating around the internet for a while. Its a simple and cheap way to make a padlock shim out of a can of soda or any thin metal.

Step 1: Parts

The only real parts you need for this are a can and a pair of scissors or a razor. If for some reason you dont have a can you can use any metal of the same thickness or slightly thicker.

Step 2: Prepare the Metal

Using the scissors, cut off the top and bottom of the can. Then make one long cut down the side of the can to get a sheet of metal. Then flatten out the sheet, and cut off the jagged sides of it, so you end up with a smooth rectangular sheet of metal.

Step 3: Make the Marks and Cut

The instructions I read for this say to use a strip 1" x 3", however I found it easier to use a slightly more squarish piece works better, so use something about 1 1/4" x 2 1/2". Mark out the rectangles onto the sheet of metal using a sharpie, and then cut them out.

On the smaller rectangles, mark off fourths both vertically and horozintally.

Step 4: Mark the M

Draw a M shape on the rectangle. The M should start out 1/4 in from the left, and shoud be 1/2 up from the bottom, it should curve down so the bottom part is 1/2 in from the left, it should be mirrored on the other side. Its kinda confusing so just look at the photos. After you draw it, cut it out.

Step 5: Folding and Shaping

Fold the top 1/4th down, then fold the 2 side parts up and over. After you finish folding wrap it around a bic pen or some round object, roughly the same diameter as the bar on the padlock.

Step 6: Using

The best method to open it is to have the part of the shim that will go inside the lock on the outside of the bar. Push it down into the padlock, and then twist to unlock it. It can be very hard to master, dont give up. It will probably take a few minutes to get it to work. These are only good for a few uses, because they begin to crumple up and will no longer fit in the lock. A good practice technique is to use an open lock, look inside at the part you are trying to force open, and try moving it while the lock is open to see what you need to do when it is closed.