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Do Not Try to Pull It Out
Two things make this job much harder, and both of them are what people reach for first.
Pliers. There is usually nothing sticking out to grip, and trying pushes the piece further in. Once it is down past the face of the lock it is a longer job.
ISuperglue on a matchstick. It does not grab the key. It glues the broken piece to the inside of the lock, and then the lock has to come apart to fix what was a ten minute job.
Leave it where it is and call. Nothing gets worse by sitting there.
Getting the Piece Out
The broken half gets gripped from inside the keyway and drawn out the way it went in. Most of the time the lock is untouched afterwards and you would not know anything had happened to it.
If the piece has been pushed deep or glued in, the lock may have to come apart. I will tell you that before I start rather than after.
Why Keys Snap
A key almost never breaks for no reason.
Either the key itself was worn thin after years of use, or the lock had gone stiff and the key was being forced every time it went in. Cold weather finishes off a key that was already on the way out.
Which one it was matters. Pulling the piece out fixes today. If the lock is the reason, a brand new key will go the same way in a few months.
Then You Need a Key
Unless you have a spare at home, the broken half is no use to you and you need a key made. I can usually cut and program one at the car in the same visit, so it is one call instead of two.
If you do have a spare, bring it out and you may only need the extraction.
Doors and Ignitions
Same idea either way, but an ignition is a tighter space to work in and it is more often the one where the lock was already stiff.
Tell me which it broke in when you call.
Proof the Car Is Yours
Before I cut a key I check the registration and your photo ID, with the name matching. It is quick and everyone gets it.
Where I Come
Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville, Cole Harbour, Eastern Passage, Fall River and the rest of HRM. Also East Hants and West Hants including Windsor, Mount Uniacke, Enfield and Shubenacadie.
If there is a travel charge for where you are, I will tell you on the phone before I set off.
Why Call S.E.S?
It is one person. Me. You get me on the phone, I am the one who turns up, and the price I quote on the phone is the price you pay.
Fully insured, WCB covered and HST registered. I am also registered with NASTF as a Vehicle Security Professional, which is what gives me manufacturer key and security data for cutting a replacement.
Before locksmithing I worked as a mechanic, a shipbuilding carpenter and in fiberglass. A key breaking is a mechanical failure with a mechanical cause, and I would rather find the cause than just hand you the two halves back.
Call Me Anytime
Call or text with the year, make and model, whether it broke in the door or the ignition, and whether you have a spare key anywhere. I will tell you what the job takes.
Broken keys are one part of the vehicle work I do. Lockouts, lost keys, fobs and ignitions are on the automotive locksmith page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My key snapped in the lock. Should I try to get it out myself?
No. Pliers usually push it further in, which makes it a longer job. Superglue is worse, because it bonds the broken piece to the inside of the lock and then the lock has to come apart. Leave it and call.
Q: Can you get it out without damaging the lock?
Most of the time, yes. The piece gets gripped inside the keyway and drawn back out the way it went in.
Q: Will I need a new key?
Unless you have a spare at home, yes. The broken half is no use. I can usually cut and program a new one at the car in the same visit.
Q: Why did my key break?
Usually one of two things. The key was worn thin after years of use, or the lock had gone stiff and the key was being forced every time. Cold weather tends to finish off a key that was already going. Worth knowing which, because a new key in a stiff lock will break too.
Q: It broke in the ignition, not the door. Is that the same job?
Same idea, tighter space to work in. Tell me which when you call.
Q: Do I need a tow?
No. I come to the car, wherever it is.
Q: Do you need to see my registration?
Yes, before I cut a key. Photo ID as well, with the name matching.
Q: Can you do every vehicle?
Tell me the year, make and model and I will give you a straight answer before either of us has spent anything.