A broken key in the lock can send shivers down your spine. I am saying this because I have been there before.
Before you start thinking to yourself that you can still open the door even with the broken key, I think you need to stop right there because this article is about to change your entire perspective about getting your keys out of a broken lock.
To effectively get your keys out of the lock, we suggest you take note of the following factors.
Your current location: Your current location will determine if you could get a qualified locksmith to do the job or perhaps you could try to pull it off yourself.
The tools you have at your disposal: the type of tools you have at your disposal will surely determine how you are able to manipulate your way around the key to obtain the needed result.
How deep is the broken key inserted: the deeper the inserted key, the harder it is to get it out and vice versa.
Steps involved in getting that broken key off the lock
1. Do Not Use Your Key Again
A lot of people will try to reuse the broken key and force it to open the door. While this may work, it is very dangerous for your lock. Reinserting the key into the hole will only succeed in pushing the broken key farther thus,
makes it inaccessible. The best course of action will be to pause for a while and don’t use the key again. Hold on to your half so that you can hand it over to a locksmith when he/she arrives. The broken key can be used to create a new key for you.
2. Quick Prep
While this preparation can be optional it is very vital in making the entire process easier. For the quick prep, we suggest you apply a lubricant to the keyway. This does not just soften the lock but also reduces friction between the broken key and the lock.
The ideal lubricant should be dry since using an oil-based lubricant can work but end up sticking to the internal locks. You can make use of a rag or paper to remove the excess lubricant from the lock. With the right lubrication, you can pull out the broken key with pliers.
3. Materials That May Come In Handy
For your broken key, we suggest you get the following tools and materials to assist you with the entire process:
- Bobby pin
- Button pin
- First aid kit
- Metal hair clip
- Paperclip
- Safety pin
- Swiss army knife,
- Tweezers
- Broken key extractor,
- Jigsaw Blade
4. Tapping the Cylinder
To do this, we suggest you point the keyway down towards the ground. Removing the cylinder helps you to get the job done faster. Position your lock with the keyhole facing down and hit it with a hammer.
This trick comes in handy to keep the cylinder still so that gravity can assist in pulling out the broken key. If you end up striking the lock for too long, we suggest you call a locksmith to do the job so as to avoid damaging your lock.
5. Probe and Pull
You can make use of two pieces of metal to probe the keyway and pull out the key. This can be carried out by lining up a piece of metal on both sides of the key. Push the metal until it makes contact with the broken key then you can pull them out of the lock.
Conclusion
We believe you should be able to follow these simple steps to remove the broken key. In situations where the key doesn’t come off, we suggest you call a locksmith.