How To Get a Broken Key Out of a Lock

You put your key in your house lock or your car ignition, turn the key, and...SNAP! You have one half of the key in your hand and the other half is now stuck in the lock.

What to do? Do you call Prolocksmith ? Well, maybe later when you need your key replaced, but first, there are 6 ways to get a broken key out of a lock.

Before you attempt to extract the broken key bit, using a lubricant can make the job easier. WD-40 will do if you have nothing else on hand, but a dry lubricant is best.

What NOT To Do

Do not push the key in further. The farther the key is pushed into the lock or ignition, the slimmer your chances are at retrieving the broken piece.
Do not use superglue. This can damage the lock causing a needed lock and key replacement instead of just the key.
Do not drill, which can also damage the lock.

If Part of the Key Is Protruding Out of the Lock...

If it's your good luck to have the broken part of the key partially protruding from the lock or ignition, that's half the battle. Two types of tools can help grip the protrusion and extract the broken key bit. This includes:

needle nose pliers/tweezers
a strong magnet

If Part of the Key Is Not Protruding From the Lock...

This problem makes the extraction of the broken key piece more difficult but not impossible. There are all kinds of metal tools that are small enough to fit in the lock without pushing the key piece in further. If the tools have teeth or hooks that can grip the grooves of the key, even better. This includes the following:

safety pins
swiss army knife
paper clips

If you have access to both sides of a house door lock, remove the doorknob and lockset and push the key through the other side.

For broken home or car key extractions and replacements, contact Prolocksmith in Orlando for fast and efficient service.

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