My Key Broke Inside the Lock – Common Causes (2021 Guide)
In an unfortunate scenario, has your key broken in the lock and just snapped off?
We could understand the frustration that comes with it.
Hiring a professional emergency locksmith London can help you remove a snapped or completely broken key and cost to extract the badly broken key from a lock.
But don’t panic about that, as broken keys are the most common occurrence.
So if your office or home keys always get broken for some unknown reason, you can get peace of mind in the fact you are not alone dealing with this problem.
But before you get to determine the main causes or situations for such problems, you may want to know why it happens in the first place (key breaks).
This will help you prevent keys from breaking again in the future.
Let the professionals help you in this situation— Locksmith Near Me is all here to assist you in getting out of this situation.
We perfectly understand that when you are running late, consciously or unconsciously, the last thing you want to deal with is the sudden key breakage.
Why Do Keys break off in Locks? A Quick Overview
Let’s suppose you are running extremely late for work and trying hard to get everything in order abruptly.
With your hands full, quickly insert the key into the door’s lock and twist it, you actually don’t feel fluid movement, but the snapping sound realizing that the key is broken inside the lock, Nothing could be more terrifying than this…
There are multiple issues that can cause this problem;
- The door key has been badly damaged by wear and tear.
- The lock is not properly lubricated or has jammed.
- Standard lock keys are usually made of soft metals, like nickel and brass.
- The lock key being turned when actually not fully inserted.
- Attempting to use the wrong key.
With that, holding your key while pushing the door open, could be the main cause of bending and then breaking of it.
Top Reasons Why Key Broke Inside the Lock
Here are a couple of reasons why keys snap;
- Lack of Lubrication
The most common reason why lock keys snap is dryness and rustiness.
Yes, these two culprits are not good signs of a key.
If your lock is facing inappropriate lubrication, it will put more pressure on the key while inserting it into the keyhole, which could cause the issue.
Putting more pressure and force will only result in the breaking of the door key.
So the solution is to invest in a good lubrication spray.
You can buy the one and coat the key slightly.
Before spraying, you need to ensure that the door key is clean.
- Improper Use
Did you use the key to open the bottle can? Or maybe you used it to cut through plastic packaging?
The most common practice most people opt for is using their keys as a multipurpose tool.
Keys are only meant to lock and unlock the door, and we shouldn’t use them to grab or shut the door.
- Incompatibility
Incompatibility is another odd reason most times for key breaking.
Just tell us, how many times have you tried to put the key in a lock without seeing it?
If you feel it saves you time and effort, then you are wrong.
All you will end up repeating the same process again and over again, and it will take a lot of time.
The best thing is to keep the right key at the right place so that you don’t have to search for it each time.
Also, you should never force the key against the lock.
- Old Key
Just like any other thing in this world, keys also come with an expiry date.
Those may not seem but get weaker and fragile over time due to wear and tear and various external factors.
Surely, their longevity and durability are not for life long, especially if they don’t take care of keys appropriately.
So if the keys are old now, it’s time to change them.
The best thing you can do is look for the big signs, just like cracking and various other types of damages, to find the right cause of damage.
In such a situation, always contact a locksmith who can help you get a new key, so you don’t have to waste money on new locks installation.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Remove The Key By Myself?
It’s the last and worst thing you can do! Never attempt to remove a broken key all by yourself, as it can cause damage to various internal components, which could require an instant lock replacement.
The reason is, if you try removing a broken key yourself, it will further push all broken parts into the lock. All this will make the key extraction job a lot consuming and costly.
What Type of Keys Snapped?
The pin tumbler mechanism locks (Euro Cylinder locks, etc.) are probably the most common for snapped keys.
The second reason is that customers always go for cheaper options, which results in thinner blades of metal, leaving the lock vulnerable to breaking.
Can A Locksmith Remove A Snapped Key?
The answer is yes. a professional with proper training can easily remove a broken key that has just snapped in a lock.
Firstly, they use the best-needed tools that most householders wouldn’t have in their kits. Secondly, a locksmith is well aware of different types of locks, so they know the easy way to solve the problem.
Can A New Key Be Made From The Broken Key?
Yes, it’s possible! But it depends on various factors, like how cleanly a key is broken. A good key duplication machine always tries to make a close copy to an exact copy of the original one. If the key doesn’t fit back together perfectly, it won’t be cut appropriately. However, it’s important to have both parts of the original key.
Can A Locksmith A Brand New Key From My Lock?
A good locksmith highly skilled in professional key cutting can surely make a key for most locks, even if the original key is incomplete to be well duplicated.
How Much Does A Professional Locksmith Charge To Get A Broken Key Out Of A Lock?
This depends on various factors and circumstances, ranging from complication to time required. But usually, a less complicated job costs around £75 to £100 per hour.
*Just an estimation, the cost may vary.
How to Remove Keys Stuck In the Door Lock?
Speaking of the door keys that got stuck in the lock, it can lead to breakage. It usually happens in the winter when the door locks get cold or frozen, and you find it challenging to remove the key.
This generally happens when we run late, but you try hard to open or close the lock.
Tips for Broken Key DIY
If you still want to try to get the key out of lock before calling an emergency locksmith London, here are a few tips for you;
- They have strong jaws that are small enough to apply the grip needed to pull the key out of the lock.
- A pair of tweezers may also work. However, if you do not have these tools, it is best to wait for the locksmith.
- When a lock key snaps into two, the other fragment of a key is left inside the lock, then we think there’s nothing to hold on to, and so you can’t use any tools.
- The best is to use a screwdriver and a steel wire just to nudge and easily remove the key.
Get in touch with the professionals on time.
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