Tip Card #23 How to Shim a Lock and DIY Padlock Shim

Padlock shimming is simple, but only if you remember the details.

This tip card exists to preserve the exact shape, placement, and motion required to use padlock shims effectively. Under stress, small mistakes can bend material, jam a lock, or waste time.

By keeping the technique written down in a durable format, you remove guesswork and reliance on memory or internet access. That matters when conditions are poor or time is limited.

It is a layer of readiness that stays with you when bulk is not an option.

This padlock shims card functions as portable access knowledge.

On its own, it allows you to improvise lock picking shims using scrap material when no tools are available. That makes it valuable even when your kit is incomplete or stripped down.

When paired with a larger kit, it acts as a knowledge backup that supports physical tools such as shims, picks, or bypass devices. If a tool breaks or is missing, the technique remains available.

Common placements include:

• 
  Everyday carry kits for access knowledge redundancy
  


• 
  Urban preparedness kits where non destructive entry matters
  


• 
  SERE kits where improvisation is expected
  

→ Pair with compact access tools in the Urban Survival Collection.

→ Store alongside other flat references in a Survival Kit Tin for a complete access module.

This card does not replace judgment. It ensures you remember the method when judgment is required.

Dozens of other tip cards from Grim Workshop exist, each with some of the best survival tips ever on their own unique subject and focus, all containing valuable information, perfect for the avid learner, bushcraft, or hunting enthusiast, or as an emergency information kit in a mini survival kit, get home bag, or bug out bag. To view our entire line of survival tip cards, click HERE!