What To Do If Your Key Is Stuck In The Lock

There are several reasons why a key might break in a lock.

For example, the key may have weakened over time, making it more susceptible to snapping when it’s turned in the lock with force. 

If you use your key to open parcels or paint tins, its teeth will soon start to wear down. And when your key is damaged, it’s more likely to break and get stuck in the lock when you insert it.

Alternatively, your lock might be faulty or the mechanism could have become clogged up with debris. To keep it working smoothly and to prevent it from breaking in the future, it’s worth lubricating it with a Teflon, silicone or graphite-based product at least once a year.

Depending on how stuck your key is, you may be able to retrieve it yourself – saving the expense of a locksmith in Newcastle.

To begin, spray the lock with WD-40 to help loosen the key inside the lock. Then, using tweezers, a hair clip, a paper clip or a Swiss army knife, gently pull the broken piece out.

If your door locks are complicated, you’re in a hurry, or you’re unsure how to extract the broken key, it’s in your best interests to contact an expert locksmith.

Our locksmiths in the Newcastle area are familiar with the different types of locks and have the tools required to remove the key quickly and safely from your lock. We’ll also prevent damage to both your lock and the door.

For a locksmith to remove a broken key from a lock, you can expect to pay around £70 – providing it’s a straightforward job, taking less than half an hour.

There are a few things that will make your call out more expensive, however. 

For example, if your key is seriously jammed in the lock, it will take us much longer to remove it, equating to higher labour costs. New hardware may also be required, increasing the overall price.

Likewise, if you need to hire a professional locksmith in Newcastle to remove your key from a lock, contact a local firm like us here at NLS Security. This may save you money because the further companies have to travel to reach you, the more you’ll pay to cover fuel costs.

Similarly, be mindful that calling a locksmith out of hours – either in the evening, at the weekend or on a bank holiday – will also cost you more.

Usually, it takes our Newcastle locksmiths no longer than 30 minutes to remove a key that’s stuck inside a lock.

However, depending on how far inside the lock the broken piece of key is, what caused the breakage, and whether the lock is faulty or damaged, it may take us longer.

Once our experts arrive and take a closer look at your broken key and lock, we should be able to offer a suitable timescale.

We will resolve the problem as soon as possible, without sacrificing safety or quality.