If your key has snapped in the lock, stop. Don’t reach for pliers or glue, and keep both halves. Most snapped keys come out without damaging the lock. When one won’t, a new cylinder is the honest fix, and the right moment to upgrade it.
Let me be straight with you about what you’re reading. This comes from a real job in Dibden Purlieu, where a tenant had two days left before moving out when the key snapped off in the lock. I’m a locksmith, not a writer, so this is one locksmith’s honest account of what happened, why it happened, and what I’d want you to do if it happens to you. So here’s what I’d want my own mum to know.
My key has snapped in the lock. What should I do right now?
Leave it alone and ring me. Don’t push the other half back in, don’t try tweezers or pliers, and don’t put glue anywhere near it. Every one of those can push the broken piece deeper or jam the pins, and that’s how a quick extraction turns into a new cylinder.
Keep both halves of the key somewhere safe, and if the door is shut and locked, don’t keep twisting what’s left. If you’re stuck outside, or you can’t lock up, that’s what my 24-hour emergency locksmith service is for.
Can a snapped key come out without damaging the lock?
Most of the time, yes. With proper extraction tools I can usually draw the broken piece out of the keyway and leave the cylinder working exactly as it was. That’s a straightforward broken key removal, and it starts from £50.
What if the key has broken off deep inside?
Then sometimes it can’t be saved, and that’s what happened in Dibden Purlieu. The piece of key had gone so far into the cylinder it was unbelievable. It was too deep to get back out.
So the honest fix was to take the cylinder out and fit a new one. I’d always rather try extraction first. But when a piece is that deep, forcing it only risks more damage, and the cylinder is the cheapest part of the lock to replace.
Why did the key snap in the first place?
On this job, because the door had dropped. On a door with a multipoint lock, you lift the handle all the way up first, and that throws the locking points into the frame. Only then should the key turn. This door had dropped, so the handle wasn’t going up fully. When the handle isn’t lifted high enough, turning the key puts it under a strain it was never made for, and sooner or later it snaps.
Other common reasons:
- A worn key, thin at the shoulder from years of use.
- A key copied from a copy, so it never sat quite right.
- A stiff lock that nobody’s lubricated.
- Forcing a key that doesn’t want to turn.
If you have to fight the handle or the key, that’s the door telling you something. I’ve written more about why a uPVC door suddenly gets hard to lock.
Will I need a new lock?
Usually not. Most broken keys come out and the lock carries on. When something does have to change, it’s normally just the cylinder, the part the key goes into, and the rest of the lock stays as it is. A cylinder change comes under a lock change, which starts from £90.
Is it worth upgrading the cylinder while it’s out?
Yes, and on this job that was the silver lining. The old cylinder was a standard one, the sort a burglar can get past. With it already out, I fitted a high security replacement: snap secure, anti-pick and anti-drill. The tenant was moving out, so the next people living there will be safer from the day they move in.
I won’t explain how a standard cylinder gets beaten. That’s not information I want to spread. If you want the background, I’ve written about the lock snapping attack and what an anti-snap cylinder upgrade involves.
How do you stop it happening again?
Fix the cause, not just the key. On this job I adjusted the door so it sits right in the frame again, which means the handle goes fully up and the key turns without strain. Then I lubricated the locking mechanism with silicone, not oil. I use silicone because oil can pick up dust and grit, and that can gum a cylinder up over time.
If your door has dropped, it’s a door realignment, and catching it early is far cheaper than a snapped key or a failed gearbox.
How quickly can you get to me?
I’m based in Hythe, so Dibden Purlieu is right on my doorstep. The tenant told me I’d got there very quickly. They couldn’t thank me enough and said they’d be recommending me to family and friends, which means a lot from someone with a house move two days away.
What does a snapped key cost to sort out?
- Broken key removal: from £50.
- Lock change, including a new cylinder: from £90.
“From” is where a price starts. It can come in under or over. If I think it might cost more, I say so on the phone and we agree it before I start, never after. There’s no call-out fee, ever. All my prices are on the prices page.
FAQ
Can I get a snapped key out with pliers?
Please don’t. Pliers grip the end, slip, and push the piece further in or damage the pins. That’s how a removal becomes a new cylinder.
Should I turn the lock back to straight before pulling the piece out?
The key usually comes out with the cylinder upright, but forcing a broken piece round does more harm than good. Leave it where it is and ring me.
Will superglue on a matchstick get it out?
No. If the glue gets into the cylinder, it sets the pins solid, and then the cylinder has to go.
Is the half of the key I’m holding safe to use again?
No. It’s been under enough strain to snap once. Don’t use it, and don’t get copies cut from a broken key.
Can I still lock my door with a key snapped inside?
Often not. Don’t leave a house unlocked overnight. Ring me, day or night.
I’m a tenant and I’m moving out. Who pays?
That depends on your tenancy agreement, so tell your landlord or agent straight away. Either way, getting it sorted quickly keeps the property secure. I work with landlords and letting agents all the time, see landlord and estate agent locksmith.
Do you charge a call-out fee for a snapped key?
Never. Broken key removal starts from £50, and you’ll know the price before I start.
One last thing.
If you have to lift and push and wiggle before your key will turn, don’t wait for it to snap. WhatsApp me a photo of the door on 07453 327708 and I’ll tell you what it probably is before you book anything. If it’s not something I can help with, I’ll point you to someone honest who can.
Bugsy, KeyWise 24hr Locksmiths, Hythe, Southampton.
Be wise, phone Keywise.
