It can be quite embarrassing to have a broken key in a lock. Sometimes, having a broken key shaft stuck in the lock can feel like an emergency. Interestingly, you don’t always have to involve a locksmith in every situation. All you need is just a little patience and a few simple tools to solve the problem yourself and also save some cash.
Just so you know, there are several factors that could affect your key-extracting endeavor which includes the type of lock you’ve got, the type of tool available in hand, how far the shaft is wedged into the lock and the amount of time needed to complete the task.
The process of getting the broken piece out is quite simple. You can begin by spraying a lubricant (WD-40) on the lock. This can go a long way in helping the key shaft to slide out with ease. Afterward, you will want to slide a sturdy, thin piece of metal beside the key shaft.
Basically, you should be aiming to hook and pull back the broken piece out of the lock. It is easy to grab the protruding piece of the metal once you’ve gotten hold of the end sticking out. You can use any thin saw blade like the piece of a coping saw blade to get the broken piece out of the way.
You can also choose to make use of a pair of needle-nosed pliers to pull out the broken key from the keyhole. This method is most suitable for keys that get broken at their head while all the cuts are in the lock.
Here are some helpful tips to guide you
– Once your key gets broken in the lock while trying to open a door, it is advisable not to use the other half of the broken key to push the key into the lock. Such an action can make the extraction process more difficult to perform.
– Also, it is not advisable to use the remaining half (i.e. the broken piece in the lock) to open the lock. This is because it is hard to remove a broken half that is pushed further into the lock.
– Depending on the type of lock you’ve got, you may have to try several methods of extraction to get rid of the stocked piece of metal in the lock. Each lock is slightly different from the other, so try to apply the right method that works best.
– Even after removing the broken piece, ensure to safely guard the half so it can be duplicated by your local locksmith particularly if it’s the only key available to open the door. Without that half of the key, a new key cannot be generated.