It
is common for individuals to use several different locks over the course of a
day, and these locks may be for their home's front door, the door to an office
at work, a car door, a car's ignition and more. Keys for these various locks
can be made of different materials, and some may be very durable while others
may be rather flimsy. It is most common for a less durable key to break off
inside of a lock, and this often happens the key becomes stuck or jammed. The
user may attempt to jiggle the key or loosen it from the lock. While it is more
common for less durable keys to break off inside a lock, even the strongest and
most durable keys can break too. When keys break inside locks, there are a few
steps that you can take before you call a locksmith.
A
Magnet
Keys
are typically made of metal, and because of this, they have magnetic
properties. In some cases, it may be possible to pull the broken section of the
key out of the lock by using a magnet. The magnet typically will need to be
rather strong to pull a key out. You may be able to pull the key close enough
to the edge of the keyhole opening to pull it out with tweezers or a similar
tool, or you may be able to pull it entirely out with a magnet.
Extractor
Set
If
you have the ability to drive to a local hardware store, you may be able to
invest in an extractor set that is designed specifically to remove broken
keys from locks. This is a set of long, slender tools that have a hook
at the end of them. They can slide into most locks alongside the edge of the
key, and the hook can be used to latch onto the key and pull it out. These sets
are rather affordable in comparison to the price of locksmith services. However,
keep in mind that it can take time and effort to use the extractor tools.
Furthermore, if your key has broken off inside the car door lock or your car's
ignition keyhole, running to the store to buy an extractor set may not be a
feasible option.
If
you have tried to extract the key on your own with no success or you do not
have a magnet or extractor set available to you, you should consider calling a
locksmith for assistance. A locksmith will have the tools and experience
necessary to remove the broken key from the lock. While the locksmith is
assisting with this need, he can also assist with the creation of a new key to
replace the one that has broken.
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