Broken Key Extraction
Imagine going to unlock a door, turning your key, only to see that your key gets broken while it is in the lock. It can feel like an emergency like this because getting it out can seem like an impossible task. There is actually no reason to panic when something like this happens because you can simply call a locksmith and get the key removed from your door in a matter of minutes with minimal cost to you. There are several methods that a locksmith will take to get a broken key out of your door, to try to keep the cost as low as possible for you.
Use Lubricant to Flush the Lock:
The first step that they will take for broken key extraction is by using a lubricant. They will select a silicone spray, silicone because it is a water resistant lubricant, and spray it into the lock. The lubricant will begin to loosen up your key and make it so that it slides out very easily. Graphite powder is another lubricant that you can use for broken key extraction. You spray the graphite powder into the lock and it will loosen the key up allowing it to slide out easily without gumming up the actual lock.
Make Sure the Lock Cylinders are Aligned:
In order to get the broken key fragment out of the door, you need to make sure that the lock cylinder is completely in the lock or unlock position It needs to be in one or the other positions and not in the middle, this is because the key will remain stuck if it is in the middle position. You get the cylinder into the lock or unlock position by using needlenose pliers to get inside the cylinder. Once inside you turn it into one position or the other, and can then use the needle nose pliers to grab onto the broken key and effortlessly slide it out.
Rekey Your Lock:
If the broken key is really in there and completely stuck, your locksmith may have to take more extreme measures and rekey your doors. Rekeying your door is a lot cheaper than having to change the locks entirely and is a much faster process. The locksmith can rekey your door at any time of day or night and have you back into your house or car in no time.
Your Locksmith Knows How to Use Tweezers:
When a key breaks off in your lock, your first instinct may be to grab your tweezers from the bathroom and try to grab the key and get it out of the lock. However, tweezers that you have lying around the house are more often than not the wrong size for this type of task and can actually end up pushing the key farther into the lock making the situation worse.
A locksmith has keys that will open up just wide enough to fit around the key but the sides of the tweezers are not so thick that it cannot go down into the lock and grab the key. Their tweezers have grooves on them so that once they grab the key it grips on tightly and pulls it out easily.
Getting a broken key out of a lock can be difficult, and you can end up making it worse by trying to do it on yourself. Getting a locksmith out to help can save you a lot of time and money and get your key out in no time and with no damage to your lock!
Use a Coping Blade Inside the Cylinder:
Your locksmith may decide to use a coping saw blade, which is a long very thin and narrow saw blade, to help get the broken key out of your lock. They do this by putting one end of the blade into the lock with the saw teeth going in blades up. It goes in alongside the key. Once it is in, you move around the other end of the saw until the blade is pressed up onto the key. This method helps the locksmith grab ahold of the key and pull it out.