Opening the door again, you are in an unpleasant situation, and now you have only half of the key left in your hands? Do not panic and do not lose your temper! Following experts’ advice, you can pull the broken half of the key out of the lock with the least losses. The first thing that most people instinctively do is to put the chip left in their hand into the lock again. This action does not make any sense! The key will not stick together again, but to push the chip deeper and make the situation worse is quite real.
A broken key in a lock is a trouble that can happen to anyone. Therefore, knowing how to fix the problem may one day help you avoid unnecessary spending and save your nerves.
Causes of Broken Key in Lock
The following main reasons for key breakage can be identified:
- wear of the lock and key;
- ingress of dirt and foreign objects into the secret mechanism of the lock;
- incorrect opening of the lock;
- attempts to turn the key in the lock with various tools;
- use of poor-quality keys.
Necessary Tools
The work is done with these tools:
- screwdriver;
- stud bolt;
- pliers;
- tweezers;
- jigsaw;
- hammer, etc.
As a rule, it is enough to use only 2-3 of these tools.
How to Get a Broken Key Out of a Lock
Different methods are used to extract a broken key and are grouped in this way:
| Generous method | You can try to remove a chip without breaking the lock. First, it is recommended to lubricate the lock with oil. Then the chip can be pulled out with tweezers or pliers. It is necessary to do everything carefully without using excessive force. You can also use vibrations. This technique is recommended when the key breaks inside the disk lock. Lubricating the pins is performed first, using a thin screwdriver, the code elements are set to their original position. Then a hammer tapping on the lock is performed. Under the influence of vibration, the chips are pulled out and removed using pliers. |
| With the removal/damage of the lock | Sometimes it is possible to restore the lock, but usually, a complete replacement is required. – Pull out the larvae of the castle. – Forming the core. – Drilling of the cylinder. – Knocking out the lock. – Disassembly of the lock. |
| Rough method | Breaking into a door is required when other ineffective methods, when children are in a locked house, or when there is heavy smoke in the room. It is very desirable not to bring them to this point, but to invite highly qualified specialists with extensive experience and specialized tools. The main methods of door breaking include cutting of the lock with Bulgarian bolts. It is possible to cut the lock, but it can ruin the door. It is also possible to consider cutting the hinges, but this is not always feasible due to the presence of many doors with special protection. |
How to Prevent the Key From Breaking in the Door Lock
It is recommended to follow some preventive measures, which will help to minimize the possibility of problems with the lock:
- Insert the key into the well as carefully as possible.
- Clean and lubricate the lock periodically.
- Use those keys that are suitable for a particular type of lock.
- Regularly check the lock for contamination.
- Purchase special tools that will allow you to solve the problem in time.
In general, you can solve the problem with a broken key in the lock yourself, but in particularly difficult situations, you should use the help of professionals. To prevent such situations in the future, try to install high-quality locks and keys, as well as follow all the basic rules of fault prevention.