How to remove a broken key from a lock. How to remove a broken key from a door lock The key in the lock is broken

Unforeseen situations often happen in life. Sometimes they are just funny, but sometimes they cause a lot of difficulties, and if they cause laughter, then after solving the problem. Such incidents include the situation when the key in the lock is broken.

This happens if once you open the door, the end of the key remains in the door and the other in your hand. It’s even more unpleasant when you urgently need to get things done. But a careless move dramatically changes plans. The door cannot be left and urgent measures must be taken to remove the remainder of the key.

The main thing in the situation is not to start panicking, otherwise you risk ruining the situation further. Study the recommendations of experts on how to remove the broken piece from the lock.

Causes

Let's figure out why the key gets stuck in the lock. There are many reasons.

1. The key may be made of low quality material. Most cheap mechanisms are made from poor raw materials. As a result, the key can bend with a simple finger press. Therefore, it is no wonder that one day a piece will get stuck in the keyhole.
2. It happens that the cause of the breakdown is wear of the mechanism. Often, for example, a secret section of the structure gradually breaks down when dirt and dust get there. Then it becomes increasingly difficult to turn the lock. Therefore, when signs occur, it is necessary to clean the lock, otherwise it will break one day.
3. But the fault may also lie in the person himself, who exerts force on the mechanism, or in an evil neighbor who decides to cause trouble.

Whatever the reason, you need to decide what to do to solve the problem. There are many ways to “painlessly” open locks by specialists from the relevant services. But let's start with what it's better not to do.

Some “craftsmen” advise using super glue when opening it, supposedly capable of gluing torn pieces of metal together. Of course, the “method” is flawed. Even the best glue is not able to bind two fragments together enough to pull the piece out. Often the fragment becomes jammed, which makes removal more difficult. The situation can be worsened if chemical elements of the glue get inside the lock. Then it will not be possible to remove the fragment “painlessly”, and the larva will have to be replaced.

Another unfortunate example is the proposal to remove the key using a steel wire. In some cases, this can actually work, but it will require considerable skill.

A reliable way to remove a piece of metal from a lock is to disassemble the structure. How quickly you can do this is entirely up to you. But this method is the most reliable.

However, its implementation can only be achieved if it is possible to open the door. And if this cannot be done, then other options are sought.

Self-tapping screw

Sometimes a broken key can be quickly removed using a drill with a self-tapping screw and a drill. But the work must be done extremely carefully. You need to hit the end of the piece exactly, drill it and insert a self-tapping screw.

If this works, there is no need to immediately try to pull the piece out. Sprinkle a special liquid there and shake the fragment slightly. After a few minutes of such actions, try to remove it using pliers.

This tool can help without a drill if a piece comes out of the door and is large enough to grab with pliers. This should also be done carefully, do not pull with force, otherwise the mechanism will break even more.

The work begins with lubricating the key hole. Then they try to pull out the key.

What to do with an interior door?

Cases when an interior door breaks are not uncommon. If this door has a tongue, then opening it is not difficult. You will need a thin object as a tool, for example, a knife and a wide blade.

If the lock does not turn, use a screwdriver to unscrew the screws and remove the mechanism. But a nail file is also ready to cope with the task.

When the latch is triggered independently, the door is opened like this: you should push the wire into the hole so that the key (because of it the design is triggered) falls into place.

Other methods are also used:

• To wring it out, take a crowbar or pry bar and insert it between the door and the frame. This action will change the position of the bolts, opening the door.
• If the situation does not require delay, then simply cut off the loops with a grinder or turbine.
• The cylinders are also knocked out with a hammer to break the fastening screw.
• It happens that the interior door slams shut. Solving this problem is not difficult if you have a mechanism with a latch lock. You can use a regular plastic credit card by inserting it into the opening. For a more complex lock, the bolts are unscrewed.
• Sometimes knitting needles, ballpoint pens and pencils can help. The last tools are used to press the latch, and the knitting needles are used to lift the mechanism parts.

Unusual ways

There are other ways to remove a broken key from a lock. They may look strange, but professionals use them.

1. Two awls can be used as a removal tool. They should be thin. The tools are pushed into the lock and the fragment is shaken. Then they try to pull it out. In this case, an anti-corrosion lubricant is also used. You can also use machine oil.
2. In another method, a jigsaw file will be useful. It is cut off so that a clove remains, pushed into the hole and turned to the sides. If the fragment gets caught, they begin to carefully pull it out.
3. If there is a brass tube, then a piece of the key is placed on it. After a successful attempt, the tube is heated with a blowtorch, and when it cools down, it is pulled out with the fragment.
4. You can also try using a fishing hook. In this case, a considerable amount of patience will be required. But experts consider the method highly effective. At the same time, it will not harm the lock mechanism. To remove a piece, the hook is unbent, and the notched tip is inserted into the hole, fishing out the fragment. If you succeed in hooking the key, it is carefully pulled towards you. This method, even with repeated use, often ends in success.

Breaking the lock

If the piece in the lock is so tight that nothing helps, you have to break into the mechanism. If there is one, they cut down the armored lining and then pry it up with a nail puller. As a result, either a fragment or a core will be pulled out. Then, to open the door, all you have to do is turn the cam.

If you have a drill, but you can’t screw in the self-tapping screw, drill out the cylinder in the part where the pins are located or directly in the core. This should be done slowly and carefully so as not to damage the cam. Otherwise, not only will the lock be damaged, but you will also have to use a screwdriver with a curved end to change the rotation of the lock mechanism.

You can also use a chisel to start the nail puller and open the trim. After this, the cylinder is twisted with a wrench.

If there is no gas wrench, no nail puller, no chisel, the cylinders are knocked inward. If the cam is turned to the side, the internals will be damaged. If the end protrudes, knock it down with a chisel and use a screwdriver to scoop out the insides.

In such gentle and non-sparing ways they pull out a piece of the key. For some people, it is much easier not to suffer, but to call specialists to their home so that they can quickly deal with the problem and save them from hassle and loss of time.

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Many people are familiar with the situation when, when trying to open the front door, the key breaks in the keyhole. Quite an unpleasant picture. Most people get lost and terribly upset in such circumstances, especially if they have limited time. Don't panic, because there is always a way out!

Causes of key failure

There can be several reasons for the breakage of a product that is stuck in a door, both from the key and from the lock.

• The door has an old locking mechanism. Over a long period of use, it wears out and rust forms inside. This becomes an obstacle to smooth sliding during the opening process.
• Contaminants get inside the lock.
• The key was turned incorrectly or too sharply in the keyhole.
• The key is not inserted all the way.
• The owner is trying to open the door with a non-original product.
• Poor quality material from which the key body is made. For example, aluminum can bend even in a trouser pocket.
• The key is stuck in the door lock and they are trying to force it out using pliers and other tools.

When a situation like this happens, we think little about its cause. We need to open the door.

Types of castles

Depending on the installation method, Locks are divided into 3 main types.

A padlock is often used to protect utility rooms: warehouses, basements, cellars. For apartment doors, this design is considered primitive.

Since such a mechanism is most often exposed to adverse weather conditions, breaking the key in it is not uncommon.

To open the lock and remove the broken piece, there are methods that you need to know about.

1. Create vibrations. They knock on the lock body without disturbing the arms. Under the influence of shocks, the fragment will begin to move and fall out on its own.
2. Lubricate the mechanism with oil. Wait 30 minutes. The oil will help reduce friction, soften rust and straighten the spring.
3. Chemical bath. Place the structure in a solution of gasoline, kerosene, acetone or vinegar. Sometimes Coca-Cola is used. Leave the castle in the liquid for 24 hours. After time, the fragment will leave the larva without difficulty.
4. Heat up the well. You can scald it with boiling water or, if the material allows, use direct flame.

Overhead locks are installed on interior doors. The likelihood of the key breaking off in them is low.

The third type of locking mechanism is the most common - mortise. This is what entrance doors are equipped with, often made of metal. If a key piece is stuck in such a lock, then you can get it out in different ways. It all depends on the complexity of the situation.

Very easy way

If the key breaks in the lock cylinder “successfully”, that is, a sufficient part sticks out of the hole, it did not have time to turn, then use pliers or tweezers.

First, pour any lubricant inside the lock. The most popular option is WD-40. Machine oil, gasoline, liquid silicone, lithol, grease are also suitable. If the listed solutions are not at hand (from your neighbors), use regular sunflower oil. Pour in the liquid and wait 20 minutes. During this time, the solution will envelop the walls of the locking mechanism from all sides.

It is worth noting that it is advisable to do such a procedure at the beginning of any method of releasing the key.

After 20 minutes, try to extract the rest of the key using one of the suggested tools. To do this, grab it and try to pull it out with gentle rotational movements.

One of the easiest methods for freeing a broken key is to use superglue. This option is suitable even if the edge of the key sticks out almost flush with the lock. Glue both pieces according to the instructions included with the glue. Make sure they are completely connected and turn the key. This method can be used by everyone. There is one condition - it is effective if the edges of the broken parts remain smooth, without burrs.

Common Methods

The options described above are not always appropriate or effective. There are more popular methods that are most often used in the current situation.

1. Use a jigsaw blade. Insert it into the keyhole so that the teeth are turned to the side. Turn the blade with the teeth up and pull it out sharply. It will pull the key with it.
2. You can use a magnet. Use a thin needle to pick up the fragment from below and try to pull it out with a magnet. Please note that not all of them are capable of magnetizing the key. If you use a neodymium magnet, it will handle any metal key.
3. Take 2 wires, bend one edge of each of them slightly. Place them on top and bottom of the broken piece and try to pull it out. Instead of wire, a hairpin will do. To do this, divide it in half. You can take a paperclip. This method is used only if the key is not turned.
4. Screw a self-tapping screw into the fragment. With its help, the key will easily come out of the cylinder. This method is not suitable for all key structures.
5. Pull up the remainder with an awl. When it appears from the keyhole, grab it with any clamp and pull it.

Whatever option you use to remove a broken key, do not forget that you can pull it when it has returned to its original position. If it is in an intermediate position, then a different solution will be needed.

Cardinal ways

When the key stub cannot be obtained by any of the gentle methods, radical measures have to be taken.

One of them is the extraction of the larvae.

In a cylinder lock it is located in a cylinder. If it is located in a protruding form, it should be clamped with a gas key and rolled up, and the lock should be opened with a flat screwdriver.

If the cylinder is concentrated in the closed position and is not visible, then first you need to remove the top cover. Then act in the same way as in the first case.

There is a method in which the larva is knocked out using a chisel and hammer.

Another option is to cut down the lock bolts with a regular hacksaw.

The most barbaric methods are to completely cut out the entire lock or remove the door from its hinges. Such measures are taken in extreme cases, when all others have proven ineffective or when it is urgently necessary to get into the apartment. This usually happens if there is a small child at home or the smell of gas or combustion comes from the apartment.

Help from outside

If you cannot cope with the current problem yourself, invite specialists.

It may turn out to be a housing employee who is obliged to visit you within an hour after the call. Don't be surprised if he asks you to show your passport, which shows your registration. This will confirm the fact that he will have to open your apartment, and not someone else’s.

If you live in a rented apartment, you should contact the owners.

They say: “the lock is jammed - move the key.” And many do just that. This often happens in rented apartments. Use the key back and forth, and lo and behold, half the key remains in the keyhole. How to remove a broken key from a keyhole? Some recommendations will help you do without a specialist, with minimal financial costs.

The process of removing a broken key from a lock

If a key breaks in a door lock, there can be many reasons; even unnoticeable defects in the lock or on the key itself become the main reason for the key breaking.

Whatever the reason for the broken door opener, there is only one solution to the problem - remove it from there.

Tools for the procedure for obtaining a piece of the key

In order to get a broken key out of a door lock, you will need some tools that you can borrow from a neighbor, if this is not a private house with a garage.

There are 3 methods of how to get a piece of key from a keyhole in a door: the loyal method, the method of opening the locking mechanism, the rough (cardinal) method.

How to get a broken key out of a lock safely?

There are options when the key gets stuck in the keyhole, the owner does not get into the house or apartment. In this case, you should do everything to carefully remove the key and not damage the lock mechanism.


The main cause of this problem is dust getting into the mechanism, which, when mixed with lubricant, turns into dust. In order for the key to come out of the keyhole, you should apply lubricant:

1. WD-40.
2. Processing (drained oil from a car engine).
3. A little grease.
4. Application of liquid silicone.

The most extreme case is the use of sunflower oil.

Lubricating the lock to remove a broken key

You need to take a medical syringe and pour oil into the lock. The key hole must be thoroughly treated (rinsed) with oil. If the key gets stuck, you do not need to use force or sudden movements, carefully move it left to right and slowly pull it towards you. If your fingers slip, use pliers. Sometimes the key can be blocked by the lock's security system. Then a paper clip or hairpin may come in handy.

The process of opening a lock with a paper clip

What to do when a piece of the key remains in the lock? Then:

These methods are applicable at the very beginning of solving a problem. If they have not solved the problem, then you should proceed to removing the lock.

No one is immune from such an unpleasant situation when, when opening or closing a door, the key breaks off and half of it remains in the lock. If the key in the lock breaks, do not panic - in most cases, the broken piece can be pulled out and the door opened. To do this, you can turn to specialists, but there are also ways to solve the problem yourself - this is especially important when there is no time to wait for a specialist.

Causes of failure

Despite the fact that the keys are made made of metal, they break easily in locking mechanisms in the following cases:

• an attempt to turn a jammed mechanism;
• material wear;
• using a key from another lock;
• the mechanism is clogged with debris or a foreign object has entered it.

First, try “soft” ways to remove a broken key from a lock.

To begin, lubricate the core of the larva with any available means - grease or oil, preferably machine oil, but if this is not available, even sunflower oil will do. It is convenient to do this with a syringe. After dripping several times, wait 10-15 minutes for the oil to spread inside the mechanism. After this, take tweezers or thin pliers and try to remove the protruding fragment. Assess how deeply it is embedded, and keep in mind that you should not use force - this can damage the lock and complicate the task.

The next way to get the larva out of the lock together with a key is one of the most popular. To do this you need to use a jigsaw file. This will require attention and caution, because the blade must be slipped under the key, so that the slope of the teeth points in your direction. This way you can pick up the fragment and use the teeth of a saw to pull it out.

If you don’t have a jigsaw at hand and the key is wide enough (for example, for a garage door), then you can use a self-tapping screw to remove the fragment. To do this, drill a small hole at the fracture site, insert a self-tapping screw into it and carefully pull the fragment out.

If the key breaks in the padlock, you need to insert two small awls into the holes and, swinging them, remove the fragment. You can also use neodymium magnets, with which you can try to remove the fragment from the larva.

There are several options for how to open the door if the lock is broken. The task is not easy, so if you do not have sufficient skills, you should turn to specialists. You can open the apartment only by breaking the lock or dismantling the door.

If the door is not very heavy and you have little time, then the most effective way is to simply knock it down. An even more radical method, which is suitable for an iron door, is to cut it off its hinges using a grinder. If it is not installed in the door frame, then you can use a crowbar to try to lift it and remove it from its hinges.

The gentlest way is to get to the lock mechanism; to do this you need to drill a hole above it with a drill and pull out the cylinder. Not so much effective, but a working method on how to remove the larva without any special means at hand: insert the tip of a Phillips screwdriver inside the mechanism and slowly turn it.

If you did not have time to slam the door before the key broke, the cylinder can be removed from the end using a screwdriver.

Preventive measures

To avoid such misunderstandings, it is necessary to carry out simple prevention:

• Once a year or more often, lubricate the lock with special oils.
• Try not to slam the door to avoid wear on the mechanism.
• External street locks should be protected from external influences such as debris, moisture and wind.

If you were unable to open it yourself, contact the service professionals. This way you will quickly get into your home, and, most likely, you will not have to change the lock, much less the door.

Attention, TODAY only!

Sometimes everyday situations force us to act unconventionally. Such situations include the situation when the key is stuck in the door lock. If this happens, it will be impossible to either enter or exit the apartment. What to do in this case, and how to get home - we will find out from the article. We will look at all the currently existing methods for removing a key stuck in a keyhole.

Why might the key get stuck in the door lock?

If your key or lock is broken, the master opens the door in 10 minutes. But if you are not a master. then this article is for you.

Read how to open the front door lock without a key.

Let's find out what reasons most often cause the key to get stuck in the lock.

Most often, an unpleasant and troublesome situation is caused by using a key for purposes other than its intended purpose. So, sometimes they open beer bottles, pick something up, and open it. As a result of such manipulations, the key may bend or become deformed.

Deformation of an old key is a common cause of it getting stuck in the keyhole.

Find out what to do if the front door lock is jammed.

Sticks or jams and does not turn or come out

If there is a strong and sharp slam on the door with the key in the lock, the mechanism may jam. As a result, the key becomes impossible to remove.

If you ordered a new key from a locksmith and tried to open your front door with a new product, a situation where it gets stuck may well occur. This is due to poor quality finishing of the material. If the shape of the key blank is broken, this can also cause an unpleasant situation.

There may also be a factory defect in the lock. But in this case, the key should get stuck soon after installing the new mechanism. If you have been using the lock for more than a year, the reason is most likely different.

Sometimes the pins (blocks) of the locking mechanism become jammed. As a result of this, the key appears to be clamped in the device without any possibility of freely coming out.

Sometimes the cause of a key getting stuck can even be a door misalignment. If dirt or any debris gets into the keyhole, this may well lead to jamming of the mechanism.

Sometimes when you try to turn the key too much in the hole, it breaks. As a result, the fragment sticks out inside, and most of the key with the head remains in our hands.

The technology for replacing locks on the front door is described.

How to remove the key

If the key is jammed and you can’t pull it out or turn it, you need to take a series of sequential actions. Let's describe them in more detail.

How to install rim locks for the front door is indicated.

The first step is to calm down and try to collect yourself, putting aside panic.

If the problem occurs while you are inside the apartment, you can look for WD-40 fluid, which is often used in repairs. This solution is based on kerosene, which can help “revive” jammed elements of the device. You just need to spray this liquid onto the well and wait a while.

In the absence of such a liquid, you can use motor or even vegetable oil to lubricate the mechanism. Even such means can help old and possibly rusted parts of the lock start working again. In addition to kerosene, oil and a special solution, you can also lubricate the lock with grease or liquid silicone.

Lubricate the mechanism with a lint-free cloth or just your finger, but do not use cotton pads, swabs or sticks. The fact is that fibers of the material can get into the mechanism, and then it will completely jam.

This will help you understand how to change the lock on a metal front door.

After you have lubricated the well with the appropriate product, wait a little and then begin to gently swing the key to the sides.

Lubricate the lock again and try to remove the key. It is advisable to simultaneously swing it to the sides and pull it out: this will increase the likelihood of a successful outcome of the “operation”. But don’t pump it too hard, as there is a risk of breaking the key altogether, and then it will be much more difficult.

If your hands slip or do not obey, pull out the key with pliers, only without jerking, but smoothly. If such manipulations lead to a successful result, the lock must be changed: you can no longer rely on it. Next time you may not be able to remove the key, so it’s better to prevent the problem in advance.

If the key is made new, then a possible reason for its jamming is that it has not yet “grown in” to the lock. Injecting machine oil into the keyhole may help. In this case, you need to loosen it slightly with pliers and pull the key out. But if the fact is that the lock is very old and its internal mechanism is rusty, you will have to tinker. It is necessary to pour machine oil into the well, stirring the key all the time. Let us immediately warn you that in this case you will not be able to do it quickly: if the lock is very rusty, then you may have to fiddle with it for several hours.

More complex cases

If simply pulling it out does not solve the problem, you will have to take more complex steps to remove the key. Let's consider these methods in more detail.

If the key does not budge and the hole does not come out, you will have to get to the core of the mechanism. This method is suitable if the lock is cylinder.

Cylinder lock diagram.

To get to the cylinder part, you need to knock out the larva with some improvised means. If the hit is successful, the larva will fall apart into two parts.

After this, it can be easily removed from the lock. Take a screwdriver and press it onto the lock plate, trying to push the tab in. After several attempts (or even the first one), the door usually opens.

It also happens that the key gets stuck in the lock, and you haven’t even had time to slam the door. In this case, you can consider yourself very lucky. Because with this scenario, it is much easier to get to the lock core: you won’t need to knock down or knock out anything. Just carefully open the locking mechanism at the end of the door and unscrew the fastening element that prevents the key from getting out. After the key is removed, it is necessary to change the cylinder in the lock: after all the manipulations, the old one will no longer work.

If the key gets stuck only when the door is opened and closed, and when the door is in the open position the mechanism works without problems, the problem is not in the lock: a skewed door frame is to blame. The fact is that when skewed, the tongue of the locking mechanism cannot fall into the proper hole on the frame, so the key stops working in the opening/closing mode. Boring the frame with a hole for the tongue with a file or drill can correct the situation. And eliminating the door distortion will completely improve the situation. But this is a serious matter, requiring a certain skill and carpentry experience, so it is not recommended to correct the misalignment yourself without preparation: it is better to hire a master.

What you will need

Let's find out what useful tools and devices will help you cope with the problem. So this is:

• screwdrivers: Phillips and flat;
• jigsaw and file from it;

• grinder saw for severe cases;
• awl;
• a hammer to knock down the lock if no other methods help;
• hairpin or paper clip;
• drill;
• tweezers;
• wire cutters or pliers for conveniently removing the key;

All these items, of course, will not be needed, but two or three of them will be very useful.

Extreme measures

If none of the above remedies help, and you need to get home urgently, you will have to take not the simplest, but emergency and rather radical measures.

The first thing that comes to mind is to knock down the door by force. You can also cut off the locking bolts with a grinder or hacksaw. But for this it is necessary that these same crossbars be visible in the light between the door leaf and the frame. You can completely cut out the entire lock, but this will greatly damage the door. In principle, a suitable insert made of the appropriate metal, welded onto the deformed area, will then help to hide the “traces of the crime”.

Of course, the use of any of these extreme methods entails the subsequent mandatory replacement of the lock. However, at the moment you will get into the house, which is what you wanted to achieve.

You may also be interested in information on how to install.

Preventive measures for cleaning the lock cylinder

What simple preventive measures will help prevent a situation where the key gets stuck in the keyhole.

Every lock needs cleaning and lubrication from time to time. The mechanism is iron, which means it is prone to corrosion - especially if it is inexpensive. Regular cleaning of dust and dirt, and lubrication with oil or kerosene will help prevent failure of parts.

Cleaning proceeds as follows:

• Cleaning liquid or simple kerosene is poured into the keyhole.
• The key is then inserted and turned several times to the closing and opening positions.
• After every two or three turns, take out the key and wipe it clean from dirt.
• Repeat this until the key comes out of the well clean.
• Fill the well with engine oil and turn the key again several times.
• After this, you need to wipe dry all the dirty parts of the lock and the key.

Find out what an electronic lock on the front door is.

Such simple cleaning will someday save you from an unpleasant force majeure.

Periodic treatment with an anti-corrosion compound is also necessary, as well as (if the lock faces directly onto the street) an anti-icing agent.

If the lock is padlocked (for example, in a garage), then to protect the mechanism from dirt, dust and precipitation, you can put the top of a plastic can or other simple protection on top of it.

Experts recommend installing two locks on the front door. This will help lock the door if the key suddenly gets stuck in the first lock: after all, you need to go to work, and there may be other urgent matters. Two locks will “insure” each other, and will eliminate a hopeless situation when you can’t leave your apartment and urgent matters await.

How to install an invisible lock on the front door will tell you.

Carry with you the phone number, business card of a special service or technician who can help in the event of such force majeure. This way you will save your nerve cells and can quickly fix the problem. And at worst, when there are no facilities at all, there are no neighbors, and it’s cold outside, the door can be broken down. But only if it is wooden: a metal model can hardly be handled alone, especially if it opens outwards.

Video: step-by-step instructions on what to do if the key in the front door is broken

This video will show you how to remove a broken key from a lock.

We looked at various ways to remove a key stuck in a keyhole. Now you can quite competently deal with this problem if it arises. Our tips will help you deal with any type of lock - therefore, after reading the article, you will, one way or another, be able to get home.