Why keys break off in locks
Most broken keys we see are simply worn out. Brass and nickel keys get thinner every time they’re used, especially car keys that hang on a heavy key ring and house keys that have been in daily use for years. A lock that has gotten stiff from dirt, cold weather or a misaligned door makes it worse. One day the key twists, and it snaps at the shoulder.
Don’t try to dig it out with a paperclip
It’s tempting to grab tweezers, superglue or a paperclip. The usual result is the fragment gets pushed deeper, the pins inside the lock get damaged, or glue seals the keyway for good. Then a simple extraction turns into a lock replacement. If the broken piece is sticking out and comes free with gentle needle-nose pliers, great. If not, leave it and call us.
How we remove it
We use thin extraction tools designed to slide alongside the key fragment, catch its cuts, and draw it straight out without harming the lock’s pins. In most cases the lock keeps working normally afterward. If the lock itself was failing, which is often why the key broke, we can repair it, rekey it, or replace it right then.
Getting a new key
- Car keys: we can cut a new blade from the broken pieces or by code and, if the key has a chip or remote, program it to your vehicle. See car key replacement.
- House and business locks: we can cut a new key to the existing lock or, if you’d rather start fresh, rekey the lock to a new key.
We do broken key extraction on car doors and trunks, front doors, deadbolts, storm doors, mailbox locks and commercial doors throughout our service area. If you’re stuck outside because of it, we treat it like any other lockout.