Keys fail at the worst moment
Keys fatigue over time and usually break half inside the lock, in the rain, with your arms full. Here's what to do when it happens.
A key snapped in the lock
Don't try to push the broken piece back in with the other half, and skip the glue and the hairpins; both jam the cylinder. A locksmith uses thin extractors to draw the piece out, then checks the lock.
Often the lock is fine
More often than not the lock only needs a new key. If the cylinder was damaged, or the lock had been stiff for months before the key broke, a repair or replacement may be the better fix.
Stiffness is the warning sign
A lock that's getting harder to turn is telling you something. Dirt, old grease and wear build up. A drop of graphite or a lock-specific lubricant once a year helps prevent the stiffness that leads to snapped keys. Avoid heavy household oils, which trap grit.
Jobs we arrange in 92814
- Broken key extraction
- Lock repair and lubrication
- New keys cut after extraction
- Replacement when a cylinder is damaged
- Rekeying worn locks
Businesses near Brookhurst
Shops and small offices around the Ball Road and Brookhurst corridor see heavy daily use of their doors. Staff keys get passed around and worn smooth, which is exactly how keys end up snapping in the lock at opening time. Replace worn staff keys before they fail, keep a spare off site, and have stiff cylinders serviced on a quiet afternoon rather than waiting for a broken key at 8 a.m. A ten-minute service visit costs far less than a morning with the shop door stuck shut.
