How to Pick a Lock with a Soda Can

Reskin (Rebranding)

For an additional fee, this game can be reskinned or rebranded into a different look and feel. We can change aspects of the game including the characters, backgrounds, objects, sound effects and music.

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Here’s how to do it:

1. Create an amazing PDF (with Soda PDF, this is quick and easy)
2. Click the “Secure & Sign” Tab
3. Click the “Secure Permissions” Icon in the “Secure” Section

Now you will see the “Security Settings” dialog box. In the box, you can choose your password and encryption level.

Note: If you lose your password, you won’t have the option to change it! Write it down or store it in a protected file locally on your work computer!

Now for the fun part….

As part of Soda PDF’s range of nifty features that add flexibility and security to your PDF experience, you can also change the type of permissions that a user with this key has. You can choose from the following permissions:

1. Creating, inserting, deleting, and rotating pages
2. Filling-in form fields and signing
3. Commenting
4. Any except extract pages
5. Printing privileges (none, low-resolution, and high-resolution)

Homemade Lockpicks

Improvised lock picks are some of the easiest to create due to their simple shape, allowing you to make a decent set of picks in only a few minutes, but they do come with some limitations.

Most lockpicks produced today are made out of a spring steel with specific tip shape to ensure they are able to withstand the forces experienced during picking.  Improvised picks lack much of the strength of traditional picks, meaning they will likely need to be reshaped between picking attempts.

Improvised picks are also limited in their functionality because of their size, as the material used is often thicker than normal lock picks.  This can make some keyways impossible to access, particularly if they are narrow or weirdly shaped such as is seen in higher end locks.

In spite of their limitations, improvised lockpicks can still be relied on when needed so let’s have a look at how we can start making some lock picks.

Paperclip Lockpicks

The paperclip lockpick is a cliché in countless movies, and while they normally get lockpicking completely wrong, paperclips can be relied on to craft reasonably good lockpicks. 

Paperclips bend incredibly easily yet can hold their shape well enough to function as a pick to an impressive level.  All you need to do is straighten out a portion of the paperclip then create the shape of your tip.Hook picks and rake picks typically work best because of their relatively simple shape, however, these two styles are incredibly versatile that can handle most locks you will likely face.

This is normally as far as most lockpicking in movies will go to, creating only the lock pick and ignoring a means to rotate to core.  Tension wrenches are also required for lockpicking and can be made from paperclips by folding the paperclip against itself and then placing a hook in the end. 

While possible to make a paperclip tension wrench, they can be improvised with much more effectiveness using other common items such as pen clips or bobby pins.  As these materials are thicker than the tension wrenches produced using a paperclip and offer much better control over the lock’s rotation.

A paperclip and bobby pin lockpick set will struggle against high-end locks with security pins but can be an extremely effective attack on cheaper Master Locks, and with their small size conceal in almost any kit making them a great addition.

Wiper Blades

Another great source of material you can use to make lockpicks out of can be found in almost any car wiper blade.  Modern wipers use steel, contained within the rubber wiper to reinforce the blade, which can be removed with relative ease.

As most modern lockpicks already use spring steel in their construction, these homemade tools are able to hold up much more effectively than paperclips however are not a perfect solution for lockpicks on the go.

Unlike using paperclips, this method is much more involved as the steel cannot be easily bent into shape and will often need to be filed.  They are however able to last much longer and withstand the forces experiences during picking so are worth the investment of crafting them. 

Wiper blade lockpicks can also prove an effective technique as they can be formed easily into a tension wrench to much greater effect than paperclips providing a complete set of tools from a single wiper blade.

This method may not work well if you are attempting to make lock picks while already within a restricted location because of the preparation required to turn them into functional picks.  It does however prove an extremely good option if you are looking to make your own picks cheaply or are looking to source lockpicks in a foreign country where they may otherwise not be available.

Step 2: What You Will Need

Just a can, and some scissors or a box cutter. Here I’ll demonstrate with a combination lock, but this technique applies to several other kinds of locks, including padlocks that need a key to be opened.

Warnings

• While trying to pick you may rip pieces of your shim which may get stuck in the lock.

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Game login / registration system

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Step 6: Opening the Lock

Once your shim is properly rounded you can slide it to the inside of the shackle’s arch (make sure you are on the side with the locking mechanism, usually the left side). Press the shackle upwards and hold it there. While holding the shackle up, work the shim down into the locking mechanism. Once the shim is as far down as it can go, pinch it and continue to press it downward towards the mechanism as you push down the shackle. After this motion is finished, the shackle should simply lift and open, just as if you had entered the combination.

Opening a lock in this way will not damage the lock, but as you can see from the picture it will chew up your shim a fair bit. (Shims are usually only good for one use.)

Essential Locking Tools

Before we can pick a Master Lock, we need to talk about lock picking tools.

You don't need to buy lock picking tools to pick a Master Lock, and can easily use improvised tools, such as bobby pins and paperclips. You can find information on making homemade tools further down this guide or by clicking here.

However, if you are looking for a good set of lock picks, you can consider checking our selection of lock picking tools in our Lock Pick Shop or even check out my guide on the best places to buy lock picking tools.

To pick a Master Lock we will need two different tools to get the job done—a lock pick and a tension wrench.

The Lock Pick

The purpose of the lock pick is to move the internal components (the pins) to the correct positions.

There are a ton of different types of lock picks that we can use, but by far the best and easiest style of pick to use on a Master Lock is a rake.

Below is an example of a Bogota lock pick, as well as a homemade paperclip and bobby pin rake. 

The Tension Wrench

The second tool we need is a tension wrench. The purpose of this tool is to apply a slight rotational force to the core of the lock.

This will allow us to hold pins in position, as well as allow us to turn the core and unlock the lock once all the pins are bumped into position.

Below is an example of a standard wiper tension wrench, as well as a paperclip and bobby pin replica. 

Once you have your tools, it's finally time to pick a Master Lock!

Let's Go!

Method 2: Pick the Lock

Due to their construction, tubular locks are quite well protected against any improvised method of lock picking. For example: even if you rigged up some method of picking an 8-pin tubular lock one pin at a time by hand (using a rolled strip of metal cut from a soda can, perhaps), you’d quickly find that the pins spring back with more force than can be counteracted by friction alone; you’d need to actively hold all 8 pins in place at the same time in order to get it to turn. Additionally, since any of the pins can just as easily pop into their neighbor’s slot, you may end up having to solve the entire lock all over again another 1-3 times (depending on how far it must be rotated before it releases).

Long story short: some models may have specific weaknesses that can be exploited, but in general, you’ll need to buy yourself a purpose-made lock pick. After you have a lock pick on hand, the process is pretty straightforward!

Bonus: with the use of a lock pick, measurements of each pin can easily be taken. This information can then be used to create a permanent key, and the cable lock can be reused.

Cost: moderate. Time: moderate.

Shims

Shimming attacks move the attention away from the keyway to focus the locking mechanism directly. 

Although there are a range of techniques to protect against this attack and it proves mostly impossible on home locks, it can be used with occasional success on handcuffs, padlocks and bicycle locks. 

This attack works by placing a small shim of metal in between the locking bar and shackle, ultimately causing the bar to disengage and allowing the lock to open. 

Soda Can Shims

For a shim to work reliably, it needs to be thin enough to bend around the locking bar but strong enough not to fold and break when inside the lock. 

The aluminum of soda cans works perfectly in this application and can be sourced almost anywhere around the globe.  To make these shims, all you need to do is empty the can and cut the metal into shape following the template below.

Once created, you can then simply slide the shim into the shackle and position it in between the locking bar and shackle, causing the lock to open.  This is an incredibly low-skilled attack and as a result there are several ways to defend against it meaning it is only practical with a limited number of cheaper locks (including some by Master Lock).

These defense mechanisms include double locking (as seen in handcuffs) or altering the locking mechanism to prevent shims from being inserted into the shackle.  The limitations of this technique do make it a rather unreliable method with more secure locks, however with cheaper models can prove very valuable.

4. Duplicate Keys By Hand

Full Instructions here.

Like this article? Check out Home Defense – How You Should Be Answering Your Door

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