Be careful not to push the key further into the hole! Press it gently against the broken edge of the key in the lock. Be sure to remove any excess glue that could stick to the lock itself. Accurately apply a small drop of the Super Glue to the end of your tool. You will need a thin wire, paper clip, bobby pin or similar tool. BE VERY CAREFUL! DO NOT GET THE GLUE ON OR IN THE LOCK!!! Only try this if part of the broken key is clearly visible and close the front of the lock. But I know some of you will try it anyway so here is one way to use it. Super Glue I do not like to recommend this method because so much can go wrong and it has high failure rate. You do take the risk of pushing the key further back in the lock. You may have to do this several times before you can grab the key. Once inserted, angle the pieces to put pressure on the key then pull it out. This may be wide enough to allow you to insert a slim piece of metal, a paperclip or bobby pin on each SIDE of the key, not top or bottom. Nothing like this available? SOME locks have a key hole that is a bit wider than the actual key. Then use it as outlined above in Professional Extractor Tools above. Jig saw blades and mini drill bits can be used as is. Make sure the teeth are pointing back toward you. You will need to break off one end of the mini hacksaw blade to use it. Most hardware stores will carry these but will not carry professional type key extractors. You are more likely to have a MINI HACK SAW BLADE, a very small DRILL BIT or tiny JIG SAW BLADE. MAKESHIFT EXTRACTOR TOOLS Don’t have professional extractor tools lying around? Most people don’t. See TIP about keyway needing to properly aligned! Below are photos of some commonly used professional key extractors. The spiral tools can be used the same way but also can be used on the side of the key. The saw tooth extractor can be used the same way. This should hook on the jagged part of the key. With the key “plug” or core in the upright position, insert the hook extractor on the top edge of the key (the jagged side) twist slightly and pull. Professional Key Extractor Tools Professional Locksmiths keep a set of Key Extractor Tools on hand. Methods for Removing a Broken Key Stuck in a Lock This can be quite challenging even for an experienced Locksmith. TIP: If the “pins” have dropped down in front of the broken edge of the key you will have to lift the pin(s) before the key can be extracted. Use a small screwdriver to turn the key cylinder. ![]() TIP: If you CAN spin the cylinder there is probably enough of the key left in the lock to allow you to unlock the lock by turning it to unlocked position! It won’t extract the key but might be worth trying to get you in fast. This means that if the lock cylinder core can be moved around, the lock “pins” will hold the key in the lock and not allow extraction. TIP: You can ONLY REMOVE A KEY WHEN THE KEY CYLINDER CORE IS NOT TURNED. Sharp pointed scissors or tweezers to remove broken key if you don’t have needle nose pliers You may be able to use tweezers but with caution! You don’t want to push the broken half into the keyway further. If you don’t have needle nose pliers, sometimes a pair of sharp pointed scissors can be used to grab the broken key that is just barely sticking out of the lock. Tag needle nose pliers for key extraction If there is not enough of the broken key to grab it with the pliers you will need to use one of the other methods to get it to that point. If you can grab the key with the needle nose pliers and get a good hold on it to pull it out the rest of the way. Remember, there are LOTS of different locks out there! Each is slightly different so you may have to try several methods to find out what works best.Ī helpful tool to have is a pair of needle nose pliers. BUT DON’T! The further you push the broken half into the lock, the harder it will be to remove.īe sure to save that half of the key though because if it is your only key to open the door, you can bring it in to your local locksmith who will be able to generate a new key for you. This will make it more difficult to remove! I know many people try to use the remaining half to try and open the lock. ![]() DO NOT push the key into the lock further with the other half of the broken key. WD-40 is a spray lubricant that, if you don’t have a can around your home, get one! Spray it into the key hole to help the key slide out more easily. ![]() But Tinder Locksmith is always available to help with any lock or key problems.įirst thing to do to ease the extraction is to lubricate the lock. Depending upon the type of lock and how far into the lock the key is wedged, how much time you have and what tools you have will determine which method to use. There are many ways to remove the broken key without having to call a locksmith. When part of your key is stuck in the lock, don’t panic.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |