Short answer: A key that snaps off in the lock is one of the most common calls locksmiths get, and the good news is the lock itself is usually fine, as long as the broken half does not get jammed deeper. Here is how to handle it so a quick fix stays a quick fix.
A key that snaps off in the lock is one of the most common calls locksmiths get, and the good news is the lock itself is usually fine, as long as the broken half does not get jammed deeper. Here is how to handle it so a quick fix stays a quick fix.
Keys usually snap because the metal was already fatigued, since a worn, bent, or thinly duplicated key flexes a little more with every turn until one morning it finally shears, often right at the shoulder where the blade meets the head. Wiggling a sticky lock with force, or muscling a key that was fighting a dry or misaligned cylinder, is typically the exact moment the break happens. The reassuring part is that a broken blade sitting in the keyway rarely damages the lock itself; the pins and cylinder are intact, and once the piece is out, the lock generally works normally again with a fresh key. That means your goal is careful extraction, not replacing the whole lock, so slow down before you make it harder.
If part of the blade is still sticking out past the face of the cylinder, apply a little dry lubricant first, powdered graphite or a Teflon-based lock lube rather than WD-40, which is a solvent that eventually gums the mechanism up, then grip the protruding metal with fine needle-nose pliers or tweezers and pull straight out without twisting. Keep the cylinder turned to the exact insert position, because the key can only slide free when the keyway is aligned the way it was when you first put it in. The single worst thing you can do is squirt super glue onto a bit of wire and try to bond the pieces together, because it almost always sticks to the inside of the cylinder instead and turns a simple extraction into a full lock replacement. If the blade broke off flush with the face or below it, stop, since picking at it only drives the piece deeper.
A locksmith carries thin, barbed broken-key extractor tools that slide alongside the blade, hook into the key's cuts, and draw the piece straight out, usually within a few minutes and without opening or damaging the lock. If the break happened because the key or cylinder was worn, they can cut you a clean replacement from the code or from the removed pieces, and it is often smart to have them rekey the cylinder at the same time so a single fragile key isn't your only way in. Broken-key extraction typically runs in a range of roughly $75 to $185 depending on how deep the break sits, the lock type, and the time of day, with any newly cut keys added on. Because the work is usually quick, ask whether extraction and a fresh key can happen in the same visit so you leave with a working lock rather than an empty keyway.
Keys usually snap because the metal was already fatigued, since a worn, bent, or thinly duplicated key flexes a little more with every turn until one morning it finally shears, often right at the shoulder where the blade meets the head. Wiggling a sticky lock with force, or muscling a key that was fighting a dry or misaligned cylinder, is typically the exact moment the break happens. The reassuring part is that a broken blade sitting in the keyway rarely damages the lock itself; the pins and cylinder are intact, and once the piece is out, the lock generally works normally again with a fresh key. That means your goal is careful extraction, not replacing the whole lock, so slow down before you make it harder.
If part of the blade is still sticking out past the face of the cylinder, apply a little dry lubricant first, powdered graphite or a Teflon-based lock lube rather than WD-40, which is a solvent that eventually gums the mechanism up, then grip the protruding metal with fine needle-nose pliers or tweezers and pull straight out without twisting. Keep the cylinder turned to the exact insert position, because the key can only slide free when the keyway is aligned the way it was when you first put it in. The single worst thing you can do is squirt super glue onto a bit of wire and try to bond the pieces together, because it almost always sticks to the inside of the cylinder instead and turns a simple extraction into a full lock replacement. If the blade broke off flush with the face or below it, stop, since picking at it only drives the piece deeper.
A locksmith carries thin, barbed broken-key extractor tools that slide alongside the blade, hook into the key's cuts, and draw the piece straight out, usually within a few minutes and without opening or damaging the lock. If the break happened because the key or cylinder was worn, they can cut you a clean replacement from the code or from the removed pieces, and it is often smart to have them rekey the cylinder at the same time so a single fragile key isn't your only way in. Broken-key extraction typically runs in a range of roughly $75 to $185 depending on how deep the break sits, the lock type, and the time of day, with any newly cut keys added on. Because the work is usually quick, ask whether extraction and a fresh key can happen in the same visit so you leave with a working lock rather than an empty keyway.
Call (650) 376-0883 and describe the situation, your exact location, and what you need. Timing is confirmed on that call rather than promised in advance.
Call for help: (650) 376-0883 — a straight answer and an honest estimate before any work begins.