How to Get a Broken Key Out of a Lock: A Step-by-Step Guide

It's common for people to think that keys are sturdy and nearly unbreakable. Unfortunately, the reality is quite different. Indeed, they are subject to breaking at any time, with even the smallest amount of pressure being applied.

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At Honolulu Locksmith in Hawaii, we get more than our fair share of calls for a broken key extraction. We get calls from homeowners, business owners, and unfortunate commuters who get stranded roadside because their car key broke off in a lock.

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As a top-rated emergency locksmith in Hawaii, we are always ready to respond to calls for help due to broken keys. For anyone who might be interested in doing a broken key extraction on their own, we are also willing to share information about how to get a broken key out of a lock.

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The following information should help you get through that process. If not, don't hesitate to call us for help from a well-trained and knowledgeable professional locksmith technician.

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Rekeying vs. Replacing a Lock: What’s the Difference?

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Before we get started with our how-to guide, we thought it would be prudent to mention that removing a broken key from a lock might not be enough to resolve your problem. There is always the possibility that the broken key will cause collateral damage to the lock cylinder, forcing you to consider rekeying the lock in question.

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Rekeying a lock refers to the process of replacing the lock's internal mechanism (the pins) that allow the lock to operate properly. To be clear, it would not require the replacement of the entire lock casing. Doing that would be counted as doing a full lock replacement.

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When you replace the internal pins, it's going to render your existing keys unusable. You'll need to use new keys that are customized to fit perfectly with the pin configuration, enabling a key to turn the lock cylinder for locking and unlocking. Other reasons you might want to rekey a lock are:

• Original key gets lost or stolen
• After a lock has been compromised due to a break-in
• Moving into a new house or buying a used car
• Replace a cylinder that seems to be aging

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Why Do Keys Break in Locks?

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Certainly, having a key break in a lock is going to be frustrating and likely inconvenient. Unfortunately, it happens. If it hasn't happened to you yet, consider yourself fortunate. If you are reading this information because you just got bitten by the broken key in the lock bug, welcome to a very big community of victims.

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If you are wondering how a seemingly sturdy metal key can break, we can suggest there are common reasons for it. Here are five (5) of the reasons we come across most frequently:

• Excessive force is used to turn the key
• The metal key has weakened with age, which does happen
• The wrong key gets forced into the locking mechanism
• Extreme temperature - the key gets brittle in extremely cold weather and softens/expands in extremely hot weather
• The key was made with poor quality metal

Tools and Materials Needed

The goal at hand is to remove the key from the car lock or door knob lock without causing collateral damage. To do that, you should have the following tools and materials at hand:

• A lubricant like WD-40
• A broken key extractor
• Needle-nose pliers
• Tweezers for gripping small pieces
• Paper clip or tiny screwdriver
• A flashlight
• Magnifying glass

Step-by-Step Process on How to Remove a Broken Key from a Lock

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Motivated and equipped with the right tools and materials, you should be ready to start extracting the broken key. At this point, all we can offer you is the following step-by-step guide:

• Lubricate the keyhole, loosening debris and friction
• Tap the lock casing to further loosen the friction
• Use the needle-nose pliers to grab the exposed portion of the broken key
• Wiggle the key back and forth as you gently pull the key outward (releases the lock's grip)
• Insert the thin end of the broken key extractor, twisting slightly until the key is hooked
• Once hooked, gently pull out the extractor and hopefully all of the broken key

What to Do If None of These Methods Work?

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If these procedures do not provide results, your options will start dwindling. If you can get access to a professional key extraction kit, you might want to give that a go. If that's not a possibility, you might want to start thinking about rekeying the lock. You can do that yourself or might want to let a professional locksmith do it for you. That would ensure everything gets done properly without further problems.

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How to Prevent a Key from Breaking in the Future

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They say an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." That's true when it comes to taking measures to keep keys from breaking. Here are a few measures you can take now to avoid potential broken key issues:

• Lubricate your locks regularly with a graphite-based lubricant
• Handle your keys as gently as possible
• Visually check your keys for possible wear and aging
• If your primary key looks worn, use a spare until you can have a new primary key made

When Is It Time to Call a Professional Locksmith?

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There is nothing wrong with attempting to extract a key or rekey a lock on your own. However, doing these things is a bit of an art form that demands it be done properly to avoid collateral damage. The last thing you want to do is let a simple key extraction turn into an expensive lock replacement.

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May we suggest that you will almost always be better off allowing one of our emergency locksmith technicians to handle any lock and key problems on your behalf? Doing so will greatly reduce the chance of collateral damage to keys or a lock and locking mechanism. It will also lessen the possibility that you'll need to repair or replace the lock casing and or mechanism.

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We invite you to contact Honolulu Loksmith for any of your lock/key/security system needs. Our prices for all of our services are affordable and competitive. You'll benefit from letting one of our licensed and bonded locksmith technicians take the ball because they are experts in the field. Our response times are typically 30 minutes or less, and don't forget to ask about our 100% guarantee on parts and labor.

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Need a key extracted? Why wait? You can call us now for immediate help.

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