If you're feeling gutsy, you can also use two knives to penetrate both sides of the key-similar to our paperclip method above.Īnother excellent method to remove a broken key is with the help of a drill bit. It may take a few tries, but if done correctly, the key will retract from the lock cut-by-cut. If your knife slips, try digging it into various other places on the key, including the bottom. Once the knife is in the keyway, apply leverage to the key. Apply some force to stab the key as much as possible, and be very careful not to slip and annihilate yourself. To start, take your knife and poke it into the side of the key-like in the image above. If it is too far in, you won't be able to reach it. However, to use this method, the key piece will need to be close to the edge of the keyway. The metal used for most keys is relatively soft, and typically the tip of a sharp knife will pierce the side of the key well enough to leverage it out. If the paperclip method above doesn't give you enough griping power and keeps sliding off the key, you may need to use something with a sharper tip. Note: If only a tiny piece of the broke off, you'll need to be cautious not to push the key further into the lock. The second method is to use two paperclips to grip the key from both sides and leverage it out.Īdditionally, both methods work far better with lubricant, and if you can pull the key far enough out, you may be able to finish the job with pliers. This process may take a few attempts, but if done correctly, it will slowly retract the key from the lock cut-by-cut. If there is enough room, you can also insert the paperclip at the top of the keyway to try and grip the first cut on the key. The first method is to slip your paperclip under the bottom of the broken piece and then push it downwards to leverage it into the key. In my experience, thinner paperclips tend to work better and give you a deeper grip on the key. There are two ways to use a paperclip to extract a broken key. Paperclips are genuinely a magical tool and work decently well to remove broken keys- as long as the fractured piece isn't too small and it is not too deep within the keyway. Eventually, the tool will catch the key and begin retracting it with every rotation of the tool. Slowly begin twisting the spiral extractor and leveraging the tool against the key at different angles. Push it in as far as possible and then bend the tool into the key so that the threads dig into the key. To use a spiral extractor, insert it between the broken section of the key and the keyway. Some extracting tools-such as HPC spiral blade key extractors-use a thin, flexible bar with a spiraled thread on it-similar to a screw. If done correctly, the barb will grip the key and allow you to pull it out of the lock easily.Īlternatively, you can also push the barb to the very back of the keyway and grab the tip of the key. Once inserted, gently lift the handle of the extractor upward and leverage it against the top of the keyway to help dig the barbs into the key. To use a hooked key extractor, insert it at the top of the keyway with the barbs pointing down. Some extracting tools, such as the Peterson hooked key extractor, use a lock pick type tool with a barb on one end-similar to a straightened fishing hook. Let's look at two common key-extracting tools and how to use them. They dig something sharp into the broken piece of the key and give you the leverage to pull it out. There are many different types of key extractors, but each is typically used the same way. The first and best method to remove a broken key from a lock is to use a professional tool called a key extractor. Once the keyway is lubed and aligned, it's time to extract the key! On most pin tumbler locks-like those found on doorknobs and deadbolts-the keyway should be vertical. So the first step is to ensure that the keyway is aligned to the same position before inserting the key. Most locks are key retaining, meaning that unless the keyway is rotated to the correct position, the key can not be removed. How to Remove a Broken Keyīefore jumping into any of the methods below, we must ensure that the keyway is aligned correctly. Keep in mind that oil-based lubricants leave a residue within the lock that can collect dirt and cause a grimy buildup on the internal components. However, you can also use oil-based lubricants, such as WD-40. However, for a full list of my top recommendations, check out my article covering the best lock lubricants. An excellent dry lubricant for locks is Houdini Lock Lube. Ideally, you'll want to use dry lubricants such as graphite or Teflon. The most effective way to do this is by spraying a little lubricant into the keyway. While this step isn't necessary, it can help significantly. For any of the methods below, you'll want to reduce as much friction as possible.
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