Stay Calm, Don’t Make the Situation Worse
When you’re ready for a quiet evening in after a long day of work, one of the worst sounds you could hear is the snap of your key breaking off in the lock. If you don’t have another entry point, you can’t get into your home. You might consider calling up an emergency locksmith right away for broken key extraction. This is a sure-fire way to get you back into your home as quickly as possible without damaging your lock.
You can try a few things instead of calling in a residential locksmith if you have the time. Whatever you do, don’t try to insert the other half of the key to turn the lock. The broken half is likely in the wrong position inside the lock. Even if it isn’t, your attempt to open the door will surely misalign the key. Pushing the key deeper will only make things worse, possibly even to the point of no return.
The First Step to Broken Key Extraction
No matter what method you use to extract your key, the first step is to apply a lubricant to the lock. This makes sliding the broken key out much easier and reduces the chance of lasting damage to your lock. The best possible lubricant for this situation is a graphite spray. This dry lubricant won’t gunk up the workings of your lock. An oil-based lubricant can work in a pinch, but you run the risk of accumulating oil inside the lock. Be sure to wipe up any excess lubricant after application.
The Right Tools for the Job
You’re going to need to apply the right tools to succeed in broken key extraction. Tweezers are the obvious choice, but many tweezers are too thick to slide alongside the key. A jigsaw blade or small hacksaw blade is the ideal thickness. The blade will be able to slide in, and the serrated edge will hook the key, allowing you to pull it out.
Last Resorts
If this doesn’t work, you can try applying super glue to a wire piece or another object that will fit in the lock. Allow the item to bond to the key, and pull it out. If it’s your car key that broke off, you should consider calling an automotive locksmith, as vehicle keys are often more complex and challenging to remove. This also applies to high-security commercial locks, that would require an experienced commercial locksmith.
