A resource for consumers, locksmiths, and security professionals
When your key breaks off in your lock with that stomach-curdling snap, feelings of dread and helplessness descend over the scene. Some optimism for a moment. “I can still open this door at least.” STOP! Before you do anything, make sure you have read this entire post. Out of all six of these steps, there will be the one best way to remove your broken key. The best way will depend on your exact situation.
Find your broken key removal method:
To get a sense of which solution will work best for you, ask yourself a few questions. Where are you? What tools do you have? How deeply is the broken key inserted? Once you have found the method that you can use, do not be stressed by your inability to get the broken key out of the lock on your first try. Most of these methods require a bit of repetition. But how fitting is it that it should be so easy to break something, and so much harder to fix it? I would recommend basking in the poetic irony of life at any time that you feel stressed or pressured. Good luck!
Many people think that even if their key is broken in the lock, the lock should still open by inserting the rest of the key. Do not try this. By trying to reinsert your key, you will push the broken part of the blade further into the lock. All of these methods will work much easier and faster, the shallower the key is inserted. The farther back the key is, the more struggle you are going to have.
Depending on how deep you force the key into the lock, some of these methods might not work. Put the part of the broken key that you have, down, or in your pocket. There is no need to use this piece. However, you should not get rid of it. Hold on to your half so that you can give both parts to your locksmith or your local hardware store. With both pieces of your key, a locksmith can cut a new key.
This preparation is optional, but it will make the process easier. Begin by applying a lubricant to the keyway. The lubricant should ideally use graphite or some other form of dry lubrication. Oil-based lubricants, such as standard WD-40 will work, but they can gum up the internals of the lock. After a short bit of time, there may be some trouble with the smoothness of the plug rotation. The only issue with a graphite spray is that it will stain things very easily.
Make sure that you have lined up the nozzle of the lubricant so that it is inside the keyway before you spray. You will also need a rag or paper towel to remove any of the excess lube that spills out of the keyway. Also, grab a pair of needle-nose pliers, because even though these methods will remove the broken key, pliers will help to get it out that much faster. Once enough of the key is accessible, you can just pull it free with your pliers.
In a high-stress situation, it can be difficult to take inventory of the things we have on our person. When you are reading about thin metal or matches, it is understandable that extrapolation of similar materials may be difficult. So here are some things you may have on your person, or around you, that will help to get your key out of the lock.
When a key breaks off in the lock, most people go right for the tweezers. Your main concerns should be the thickness of your tweezers and how far the broken key is in the lock. Most tweezers are inappropriately sized for this task and will just end up pushing the key farther into the keyway. Make sure that your tweezers can open wide enough to fit around the key, but not so thick that they cannot fit along the sides of the key.
Due to the warding on most keyways, your average tweezers are not going to fit. Getting a broken key out of a lock with tweezers will work best if there is a bit of the key protruding from the keyhole. When the key is too far back, the chances of you pushing it deeper increase exponentially. We all love the game “Operation”, but sometimes life is more than just a game. Only attempt this method if you are extremely confident in your ability, and your tweezers.
Quick Tip
Do not squeeze too hard on the tweezers. When the tweezers shut after gripping the key fragment, the fragment will be pushed further into the keyway. Each failed attempt to grip the key will make the key more difficult to remove.
A broken key extractor tool is the professional solution to this problem. If the locksmith you call does not make their own tools (and chances are they do not), then this will be the tool they use. To use this tool place it inside the keyway along the bitting of the key. To clarify further, you will be trying to hook the teeth on the key with the hook(s) on the extractor. Once placed along the biting, turn and pull, and this should grab and remove the key. Of course, this may take several attempts.
If you are looking to purchase a broken key extractor, I would warn you that much like purchasing lock picks, these tools come in sets that include unnecessary variations. I see some people use a single hooked key extractor, and others use a double hooked key extractor (myself included). Other than that, the other profiles are extraneous. So if you can, save some money and get one or two of these.
Quick Tip
In an emergency, it is unlikely to have the professional tools to deal with a key broken off in a lock, but this is the tool you are ideally looking to replicate with your DIY method. Use the information on the broken key extractor to inform you as you attempt to remove the broken key by other means.
If you don’t want to buy a specialty broken key extractor, you can make one yourself out of a mini hacksaw blade. (This will also work with small jigsaw blades.) What you want is a thin piece of metal that will be able to fit in your keyway along with your broken key, so the smaller the better. If needed, break the blade with some needle nose pliers so that you can insert the serrated edge into the lock.
If the serrations on your blade are on an angle, place the blade in the keyway so that the serrations are pointing back toward you. This will allow the blade to go in easier, and hook the key easier. You can use this similar to the broken key extractor by lining up the serrations on the blade with the bitting on the key. With a turn and a pull, your broken key should be out. If the key does not come out on your first attempt, then simply try again. This method is perfect when you have some blades lying around, or still have the means to travel to a hardware store.
Quick Tip
Do not force the blade into the keyway. If it does not fit smoothly, make adjustments to the blade. It must be thin enough to fit in the keyhole and pass alongside the broken key fragment.
Using super glue to unjam a lock seems a bit counterintuitive. It is also one of the methods I see fail quite often. Though if you are really in a bind and have these supplies, it is an option. The idea is to glue the key to something like a match, so it can be pulled free. First off, if your key is pushed back far into the keyway and there is no metal visible, do not try this. The superglue trick works best when the broken key is accessible.
Take a small wire or a match and place some super glue on the end of it. Before getting this near the keyway, remove any excess glue or add glue if there is not enough. Too much glue may harm the lock. Not enough will keep the glue from sticking. Hold that match/wire against the edge of the broken key. When you are applying pressure be sure that you are not pushing the broken key further into the lock. Wait the recommended time for the substances to bind and then pull your match away from the lock as if it were the bow of the key.
Quick Tip
Once the glue binds to the key fragment, do not attempt to turn the key in the lock to open the door. The binding point is not strong enough to take the torque of turning the key.
To tap the cylinder, you must be able to point the keyway down toward the ground. If you have a padlock or can remove a cylinder, this method may work for you. While the lock is positioned with the keyhole facing down, strike the lock with a hammer. If you could strike a solid surface by slamming the cylinder, this would be ideal. I would recommend striking the keyway side of the lock over striking the back of the lock, but if this is going to work it should work either way.
The trick to this method is to keep the lock still, so that gravity can pull the broken key loose. This method will rarely be an option, but when it is, there are very few specialty tools required. If in completing this method you have excessively struck the lock, consider having a locksmith repair the lock core. If there is damage to the lock core, then this will create further hassles down the line.
Quick Tip
If the key to your bike lock has broken off in the lock, try tapping the cylinder. Bike locks are often the easiest to turn and face toward the ground. The only tool you’ll need is something to strike the lock, which you can likely find in your immediate surroundings (ie. a rock, a chunk of wood, length of plastic, or other solid material).
With two thin pieces of metal, you can probe the keyway and pull out the key. Line up a piece of metal on both sides of the key. When I say both sides I am talking about the sides that interact with the warding on the lock, not the biting and smooth side. You do not have to put your tools in very far. Just place them in enough to be able to apply pressure firmly. Then pull the broken key towards you. This will probably only move the key out a bit.
From there, apply the technique again, and you will get the key out bit by bit. Other than pulling you may also try prying out the broken key. While both pieces of metal are in the keyway, turn your wrists inward, almost sliding the key out. If you are skilled in the various methods of lock picking or have lock picks on your person, these can be the perfect tools for the job. Make sure that the picks you use do not have a great deal of value to you because chances are that they will be bent slightly by this process.
Quick Tip
Consider using thin plastic or study paper stock if you cannot find metal probe material. You may have success by cutting small strips off of playing cards to make your probes. Try building up the material not being inserted in the lock with tape to give yourself some added grip space.
Calling a locksmith for broken key extraction will always be the safest, quickest, and most reliable way to remove a broken key from a lock. There is no substitute for professional tools and an experienced hand. Doing this type of work yourself certainly works, but it requires trial and error. Finding the DIY method that will work for you and your situation will take time, patience, and may make your situation worse.
A professional locksmith can get most broken keys out of a lock in a minute or less. However, many circumstances can make the process take a bit longer. Just keep in mind that the DIY methods of removing a broken key from a lock are likely to take more time – in terms of collecting necessary materials, education, and application.
Keys or locks that are malfunctioning, make the key user turn the key unnecessarily. Each turn of the key that does not result in the rotation of the lock cylinder stresses the metal in the key blade. After repeated stress or an instance of extreme torque, the key will snap. With properly functioning locks and the correct key, you can avoid keys breaking in locks.
Locksmiths remove broken keys from locks regularly. After getting the key out of the lock, a locksmith can also make a new key and/or open the locked door. It is always a good idea to call a locksmith if you can’t get a broken key out of a lock yourself.
United Locksmith charges $35 for key extraction of a commercial or residential door. Car key extraction is priced at $65. In almost every case of car key extraction, a new car key is required. That is why, in the case of car key extraction, your locksmith technician is likely to quote you $120 to make a new car key.
Yes, if you have a broken key with no spare, a locksmith can still make you a new key. This can be done with residential, commercial, and car keys. Car keys have existing codes tied to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which allows a locksmith to cut a brand new key without the original. Commercial and home locks can be taken apart or the key can be decoded to make a new key. Just make sure you contact a qualified locksmith.
Calling a locksmith is the best way to get back into your office, home, or car after getting a broken key out of the lock. If you want to try any DIY entry methods, be careful not to harm your locks or door. But there are ways to get back in a locked car and unlock a door without the key that you can investigate.
Between all of these methods, you should be able to get a broken key out of any lock. No matter the lock type or object they are attached to, as long as you have the right materials, it should be no problem. Just make sure that you take your time. Rushing these processes is a sure-fire way to turn a bad situation into a horrible ordeal. Slowing down is often the best way to save time.
Never rush when you’re in a hurry. That is how accidents happen. Most people are going to freak out in this type of situation. Not you. You are going to get calmer than you had been even before this happened. Nothing matters except keeping your wits about you. Forget about your appointment. You can reschedule. Call your office and tell them that you will be late. If you get there on time you lose nothing. You can do this. You can do anything! There is nothing you can’t do! Now get that broken key out of that lock.
Category: Automotive, Commercial, How To's, Residential
