What To Do If Your Key Breaks Off In The Lock - Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmiths

A broken key in the lock is a fundamental barrier to being able to leave or get into your property. You might be coming home from work or going to the food shop, but a broken key can slow down your day and turn what was a quick trip into an hours-long delay.

Keys can break due to a number of reasons, such as the age of the key or a weakness in the design or from overuse. If your lock is broken or clogged, forcing the key can also put undue pressure on the material, leading it to snap. Fortunately, our Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmiths team is on hand to help. This article will help you understand what steps you can take if your key breaks off in the lock.

Can I Get My Broken Key Out Of The Lock?

You might be lucky enough to pull the key out using your fingers or a pair of pliers or tweezers. If that doesn’t work, you could try to use a metal paper clip or safety pin to help you ease the key out of the lock.

However, pulling out the key itself doesn’t solve the problem if it’s your only key. Calling a professional locksmith is essential to getting the key out and a replacement. A locksmith will need both parts of the broken key to make you a new one, so it is better to call an emergency locksmith than try to retrieve the key yourself.

Avoid turning the broken key in the lock, as tempting as it is. This will only jam the damaged key further into the mechanism, making it even harder to get out long term.

How Will A Locksmith Get My Key Out Of The Lock?

A professional locksmith is equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to have your broken key out of the lock in no time. They will use a broken key extractor to extract the key or use a smaller piece of metal, like a jigsaw blade, to fit alongside your key and unhook it from the mechanism. This is a great way to retrieve the key without doing further damage to the lock or key.

Once your broken key is out of the lock, a locksmith can repair or install new locks for your home and issue you a new set of keys immediately. Even if you can retrieve your keys yourself, calling a local locksmith can help you rectify the issue quickly so you can go about your day.

Can I Prevent Broken Keys In The Future?

Yes. There are several ways in which you can help to prevent your key snapping off into the lock for future reference. Such ways include:

• Lubricating your locks to help avoid undue pressure on your keys, whilst keeping the mechanism smooth.
• Regularly check to see if there is debris in your lock, and if so, clear it out regularly to avoid problems happening in future.
• Ensure you never force your key into the lock as this can cause damage and wear and tear to the key and lock over time.

Which Locksmiths Should I Call For Help?

Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmiths help Sydney’s North Shore with a wide range of locksmith issues, including broken key emergencies. We’ve been operating across the North Shore for over 35 years, helping residents with their locksmith needs – and are available for 24 hour emergency services.

Whether your home or office door, lock or key is broken, our emergency locksmiths will be with you in under 24 hours to fix your problem. We’ll issue you new keys and locks as part of the service to ensure your property is safe.

Contact us today for all your emergency locksmith needs. Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmiths are here to help you in North Shore.