Broken key in the lock — extracted without damage

A hurried morning, one sharp turn, a dull snap — and the key's head is in your hand while the rest sits deep in the cylinder. A broken key is a sneaky failure: the door is often locked, the fragment blocks the keyway, and your spare key is useless until the piece comes out. It is also the failure where DIY does the most damage. Our locksmiths extract broken keys daily across the Paris region, saving the cylinder in most cases — provided nobody has "helped" it before us.

Why keys snap

Almost never by chance. Metal fatigue first: years of daily torsion create invisible micro-cracks, usually at the neck where the blade meets the head; heavily copied keys are weaker than originals. A seized cylinder second: starved of lubricant, the lock makes the key strain at every turn until the key gives way first. Cold makes metal brittle — broken keys multiply every winter. And bad habits: using the key as a handle to pull a swollen door shut, or forcing a stiff lock.

How we extract the fragment

Professional key extractors — thin serrated blades that slide along the fragment, hook its teeth and draw it out without touching the pins. Depending on the fragment's position, the locksmith picks the tool and angle; a fragment snapped mid-rotation first needs the cylinder realigned. Ten to thirty minutes in most cases. Once out, we inspect and lubricate the cylinder and test it with your spare: if it turns freely, your lock is saved. If the test reveals a worn cylinder — often the true culprit — replacement is proposed on a quote, never imposed.

Prices

Make keys and locks last

Three habits prevent most breakages: lubricate the cylinder yearly with a dry product (graphite or PTFE — never oil, which gums the pins); retire any key showing a crack at the neck or unusual play — a key that bends today snaps tomorrow, and cutting a new key is far simpler than extracting one; and never lever the door with the key — if the door resists, the door needs adjusting, not the key forcing.

FAQ

The fragment is fully sunk — recoverable? Yes in most cases: our extractors reach the bottom of the keyway. Only glued or stuffed cylinders become unrecoverable.

Can a key be re-cut from the broken pieces? Often yes, if both halves are recovered — we advise on site.

See also