How Keys Break Off in Locks
Keys are made from soft brass or nickel-plated alloys, designed to deform before they damage your lock. That's a feature, not a flaw — you'd rather replace a $5 key than a $200 cylinder. But when a key breaks off inside the lock, it can quickly turn into a real headache if it's not handled properly.
The most common causes we see in Auburn homes:
- Old, worn-down keys that have lost their structural strength
- Forcing a sticky or seized lock instead of lubricating it
- Cold weather making keys brittle
- Using a duplicate key cut from a worn original (a copy of a copy of a copy)
- Trying to use the wrong key in the wrong lock
Why You Shouldn't DIY It
Tweezers, super glue, paper clips, magnets, vacuum cleaners — we've seen people try everything, and almost every DIY broken key extraction pushes the broken piece further into the cylinder, jams the pins, or damages the keyway. What started as a $90 service call becomes a $250 lock replacement.
Professional broken key extraction uses purpose-built tools — spiral extractors, key extractor probes, and saw-bladed pullers — that hook into the broken piece and pull it out cleanly without pushing it deeper or damaging the lock's internals.
What Happens After the Key Is Out
Once the broken piece is removed, we'll inspect the lock and offer a couple of options depending on the situation:
- Cut a fresh key on-site using the broken pieces or by impressioning the lock so you have a working key immediately
- Rekey the lock if the existing key was worn or you want a fresh start
- Replace the lock if the cylinder was damaged or the lock was already on its last legs
- Lubricate & service the lock if the breakage was caused by stiffness, so it doesn't happen again
Call (253) 796-8550 for fast broken key removal anywhere in Auburn or South King County.
