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What do you do if you break a key in half?

Tools for Removing Broken Keys from Locks You can try extracting it using a pair of needle nose pliers or a strong magnet that can pull out the remaining piece. If you have to poke and prod and can't quickly grab the key, you may be doing more harm than good.

gvlock.com - My Key Broke Off Inside The Lock - What Should I Do? | Great Valley Lock
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Tips for Removing a Broken Key from a Lock

You’re running late for work, trying to get everything in order in a hurry. With your hands full, you quickly insert the key into your front door’s lock and twist it – only you don’t feel that fluid movement. Instead, you hear a snapping sound and, upon looking down, realize that your house key just snapped inside of the lock. What a way to start the day. Having a key break off inside the lock is an irritating and inconvenient problem.

Why Do Keys Break in Locks?

There are a few issues that can cause this problem.

Standard keys are made of relatively soft metals, like brass and nickel.

The key has been damaged by wear and tear over time.

The lock itself is not adequately lubricated or has jammed.

What to Do After a Key Breaks in the Lock

No matter the circumstances behind the broken key inside the lock – whether it’s a house lock, business lock, or car lock – it should be addressed immediately.

The broken key can actually cause damage to the lock.

If the key broke inside lock before the door was shut, you’ll be unable to lock the door, thereby leaving your home, car, or office at a greater risk of theft. If the key broke off in lock after you’ve closed the door, you may be unable to reopen the door until the issue is resolved.

How Do You Get a Broken Key out of a Lock?

If a key has busted off inside of the lock and you notice that a portion of it is sticking out of the lock, you should consider yourself lucky. If this is the situation, you may be able to extract the piece of key remaining in the lock by simply pinching it between your fingers and pulling it out. If you can’t get ahold of the piece remaining inside the keyhole, it’s time to grab your toolbox.

Tools for Removing Broken Keys from Locks

If there’s only a small amount of key sticking out, the job will be more challenging. You can try extracting it using a pair of needle nose pliers or a strong magnet that can pull out the remaining piece. If you have to poke and prod and can’t quickly grab the key, you may be doing more harm than good. You risk pushing the broken piece further into the lock, causing damage. So, we actually advise against this – proceed with caution!

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When Part of the Key Isn’t Sticking Out of the Lock

If no part of the key is sticking out of the lock, the chances of you being able to remove it yourself are slim – especially if you don’t want to damage the lock in the process. It may be possible to use a flathead screwdriver small enough to fit into the keyhole. By inserting it in the lock, you can try to lever or loosen the positioning of the key until part of it extrudes from the lock. At that point, you should be able to extract the broken piece with needle nose pliers or a strong magnet. Again, it’s possible to cause further lock damage by forcing tools into the lock. It may be better to call in the help of a professional locksmith.

How to Prevent Broken Keys

There are a few things that you can do to prevent a key breaking off inside of a lock from occurring in the first place.

Lock Lubrication

Often, keys snap inside of locks because the lock hasn’t received proper maintenance. A silicone- based lubricant should be sprayed into the keyhole about every six months, or whenever you notice grinding or excess friction when locking the door.

Replacement Keys

Keys are subject to a lot of abuse and are used very frequently. So, if you notice that your keys are starting to wear, it’s time to have a copy made and toss out the old one.

Related article: How to Restore the Locks on Your Older Home.

Time to Call a Locksmith?

GV Lock offers emergency locksmith services for this very reason. Contact us at (610) 644-5334 or fill out the form below for an estimate. Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

gvlock.com - My Key Broke Off Inside The Lock - What Should I Do? | Great Valley Lock
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