A key snapping inside a lock is one of the most frustrating lock problems you can face. Half the key is in your hand, the other half is jammed in the cylinder, and you cannot lock or unlock the door. Trying to force it out with household tools often pushes the fragment deeper, potentially damaging the lock pins and turning what would have been a simple extraction into a full lock replacement.
Our broken key extraction service is designed for exactly this situation. Our locksmiths carry specialized extraction tools -- spiral extractors, hook picks, and broken key extractors -- that grip the key fragment along its serrations and slide it out of the keyway without disturbing the lock mechanism. In most cases, the lock works perfectly again once the broken piece is removed.
Keys can break in virtually any lock. We handle broken key extraction for:
Understanding why keys break can help you avoid it in the future:
For a deeper dive into this topic, read our Knowledge Center article on what to do when your key breaks inside the lock.
After extracting the broken key, we can cut a brand-new key on-site using the broken pieces as a template. If the key is too worn or corroded, we decode the lock and cut a key from the manufacturer code. If the lock itself is worn, we can rekey or replace it during the same visit so you leave with a fresh lock and a factory-quality key.
In most cases, no. We use specialized extraction tools designed to grip the broken key fragment and slide it out along the keyway without disturbing the lock pins or cylinder. If the key broke due to a lock malfunction, we will diagnose the issue and let you know whether the lock needs repair or replacement.
Yes. We carry portable key-cutting equipment in our service vehicles. After extracting both halves of the broken key, we can cut a new one on-site in minutes. If the broken pieces are too worn or corroded to use as a template, we can decode the lock and cut a key from the code.
We recommend against it. Using pliers, tweezers, or glue to pull out a broken key usually pushes the fragment deeper into the lock, making professional extraction harder and sometimes forcing a lock replacement. If the key is protruding, you can try needle-nose pliers gently, but if it is flush with or inside the keyway, call a locksmith.
Keys break for several reasons: metal fatigue from repeated use (especially cheap duplicates), a worn or corroded lock cylinder that requires excessive force to turn, extreme cold that makes metal brittle, or using the wrong key in the wrong lock. Regular lock maintenance and using manufacturer-quality keys help prevent breakage.
Broken key extraction is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across all five NYC boroughs. Whether it happened at your apartment door, your car ignition, or a commercial storefront lock, we can extract the key and get you a working replacement on the same visit. Learn more about maintaining your locks in our article on rekeying versus replacing your locks.