It’s a remarkably specific feeling: the key turns, you feel it bind, you push harder, snap. Half the key is in your hand. The other half is somewhere inside the cylinder. The lock is now jammed, often half-engaged so the door won’t open or close properly.
This is one of the easiest jobs we do, but only if you don’t try to fix it yourself first.
What should I avoid doing when a key snaps?
- Don’t use pliers through the keyway. They crush the broken end into the pin chamber, mangle the cylinder, and turn a £15 extraction into a £90 cylinder replacement.
- Don’t try super-glue on the broken end and pull. It glues the broken half to the pins inside. Then we have to drill the cylinder.
- Don’t keep trying to turn it with the other half of the key. You’ll force the broken piece deeper.
- Don’t kick the door while it’s stuck. UPVc doors don’t tolerate that, you’ll be paying for a multipoint gearbox AND the cylinder AND the extraction.
How do you remove a broken key?
We use specialised broken-key extractor tools that grip the broken piece by its serrations and slide it out. The cylinder stays intact, your other key still works in it afterwards. The whole job is usually 5-10 minutes.
How much does broken key removal cost?
From £15 for a standard extraction where the cylinder doesn’t need replacing. If the cylinder was already failing (worn pins, bent broaching) before the snap and now needs replacement, we’ll quote on top, but we’ll always try extraction first.
If you’ve already tried pliers/glue, the price goes up because we’re working around damage. Tell us honestly on the phone.
Why do keys snap in the lock?
- Cheap key copies, high-street £4 keys are softer than originals; they bend and snap under load
- Worn cylinder, pins inside have worn down, requiring more force to turn the key
- Misaligned UPVc door, door has dropped, key is forcing the multipoint through misalignment
- Frozen lock, winter ice expansion stresses the key
- Twisted key from years of use, old keys develop a slight twist
If your key snapped because of door alignment or worn cylinder, we’ll diagnose that while we’re there. Fixing the underlying cause stops it happening again next month.
Need a replacement key cut?
We carry blanks for all common UK key types, Yale, Union, Chubb, ERA, Banham, Mul-T-Lock, restricted profiles where allowed. Cut while you wait if you have the original or another working key. £8-£20 depending on type.
Which areas around Southampton do you cover?
Southampton, Hythe, Totton, Fawley, Eastleigh, Romsey, Lyndhurst, the New Forest, Bournemouth, Christchurch.
Call: 07453 327708, same-day, often within 30 minutes.
Common questions
Can you get a broken key out of a lock?
Yes, and it’s usually quick. We use proper extractor tools that grip the broken piece by its serrations and slide it straight out. The cylinder stays intact, so your other key still works in it afterwards. Most jobs take 5-10 minutes. The one thing that slows us down is if you’ve already had a go with pliers or glue, so leave it alone and let us sort it. Tell us straight on the phone what’s happened.
How much does broken key removal cost in Southampton?
From £15 for a standard extraction where the cylinder doesn’t need replacing. There’s no call-out fee, and we’ll quote you up front. If the cylinder was already failing before the snap, worn pins or bent broaching, it may need replacing and we’ll quote that on top. We always try extraction first. If you’ve already tried pliers or glue, the price goes up because we’re working around damage, so be honest with us and we’ll tell you where you stand.
Why do keys keep snapping in the lock?
Usually it’s not bad luck. Cheap £4 high-street copies are softer than originals and bend under load. Worn cylinders make you push harder, so the key gives. A dropped UPVc door forces the key against a misaligned multipoint. Winter ice and old twisted keys do it too. When we’re there we’ll diagnose the actual cause, not just pull the bit out. Fixing the underlying problem stops it happening again next month. We cover Southampton, Hythe, Totton, Fawley and the New Forest, day or night.
What should I do when my key snaps in the door?
Stop. That’s the main thing. Don’t grab pliers, they crush the broken end into the pins and turn a £15 job into a £90 cylinder swap. Don’t glue the halves together, that bonds the piece to the pins and then we’re drilling. Don’t keep turning with the other half, you’ll force it deeper. And don’t kick a UPVc door, you’ll pay for the gearbox too. Just ring us. Same-day, often within 30 minutes, no drama. We’ll have it sorted.
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Common questions
Can you get a broken key out of a lock?
Yes, and it’s usually quick. We use proper extractor tools that grip the broken piece by its serrations and slide it straight out. The cylinder stays intact, so your other key still works in it afterwards. Most jobs take 5-10 minutes. The one thing that slows us down is if you’ve already had a go with pliers or glue, so leave it alone and let us sort it. Tell us straight on the phone what’s happened and we’ll be there, day or night.
How much does broken key removal cost in Southampton?
From £15 for a standard extraction where the cylinder doesn’t need replacing. There’s no call-out fee, and we’ll quote you up front. If the cylinder was already failing before the snap, worn pins or bent broaching, it may need replacing and we’ll quote that on top. We always try extraction first. If you’ve already tried pliers or glue, the price goes up because we’re working around damage, so be honest with us and we’ll tell you straight where you stand.
Why do keys keep snapping in the lock?
Usually it’s not bad luck. Cheap £4 high-street copies are softer than originals and bend under load. Worn cylinders make you push harder, so the key gives. A dropped UPVc door forces the key against a misaligned multipoint. Winter ice and old twisted keys do it too. When we’re there we’ll diagnose the actual cause, not just pull the bit out. Fixing the underlying problem stops it happening again next month. We cover Southampton, Hythe, Totton, Fawley and the New Forest.
What should I do when my key snaps in the door?
Stop. That’s the main thing. Don’t grab pliers, they crush the broken end into the pins and turn a £15 job into a £90 cylinder swap. Don’t glue the halves together, that bonds the piece to the pins and then we’re drilling. Don’t keep turning with the other half, you’ll force it deeper. And don’t kick a UPVc door, you’ll wreck the gearbox too. Leave it be and ring us. We’ll get it sorted, no drama, often within 30 minutes.
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Common questions
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Common questions
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Common questions
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Common questions
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Common questions
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Common questions
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