Broken key removal
Broken Key Removal in Farnborough
Call with your postcode for a current arrival estimate.
- 24-hour emergency cover
- No call-out charge
- Price agreed before work starts
Key Snapped in Your Lock? Do Not Touch It Yet
A key that has snapped in the lock usually leaves the lock itself undamaged, and the broken piece can normally be extracted without replacing anything. Leave it alone and call, because most of the damage on these jobs happens in the minutes before a locksmith is phoned.
Wilds Locksmiths Farnborough takes calls 24 hours a day with no call-out charge. Hold on to the other half of the key, and stop trying the lock.
What You Should Not Do With a Snapped Key
Hold off for a moment, because what you do next can change how the piece can be removed.
Five attempts that make things worse
- Superglue. It sets the broken end to the pins inside the cylinder, and an extraction often becomes a replacement.
- A paperclip, hairpin or narrow screwdriver. Each one pushes the fragment further into the keyway and further from reach.
- Pliers or tweezers when the break is flush. With no edge to hold, they tend to score the inside of the keyway.
- A drill. It ruins the cylinder, which was almost certainly the part still in good order.
- Ramming the other half back in. The fragment travels deeper, and the pins can jam.
The same goes for rattling the handle, trying the lock repeatedly or turning the cylinder with the loose half.
Before you call: keep the loose half and leave the trapped fragment exactly where it is. By examining the loose half, the locksmith may be able to recognise the key and inspect the break. Have three answers ready: which lock, whether any of the key shows, and whether glue or tools have been used. That lets us gauge the likely work before arranging the visit, and if the break stops you getting in or leaves an outside door insecure, tell us as soon as you call.
Your Lock Is Probably Still Fine
A broken key is not a broken lock
Nearly everyone standing outside with half a key expects to pay for a replacement. Usually, they will not need to. The cylinder is normally unharmed by the break, extraction with the right tools takes a matter of minutes, and afterwards the lock keeps working with whichever keys you have left.
When the picture is different
We would rather be straight about the exceptions. Replacement is considered only when the cylinder is worn or damaged, or keys cannot be made to work; the work and price must be agreed with you before anything starts. Those are the cases to mention when you call; otherwise, the most likely outcome is that your lock stays exactly where it is.
The Reason Keys Snap in the First Place
Ask most people why their key broke and they will say it just went. Look a little closer and there is nearly always a history: a snapped key tends to be the end result of a problem that has been developing for weeks. Typically it is one of these:
- a worn key that has thinned over years of turning;
- a lock that became stiffer over several months and was forced one time too many;
- cold weather stiffening a mechanism that was only just working;
- a badly cut duplicate, since kiosk-cut blanks are often thinner and weaker than the original.
That history changes what the visit should achieve. If the lock was stiff before the break, extraction by itself will not put the underlying fault right, and in time the next key will snap the same way. We will say so if that is what we find in your lock.
When the Lock Does Need to Be Replaced
Four honest reasons
Replacing the lock is not the default, but it is the right answer when:
- the fragment has left the lock damaged;
- wear or damage to the cylinder existed before the key broke;
- glue or a tool used in an earlier attempt has damaged the internal mechanism;
- no working key remains and keys cannot be made to work in the lock.
Where the last applies, we fit a new cylinder that comes with a fresh set of keys. In every case you are told why the lock needs replacing and what it will cost before any work begins, and nothing is swapped without your say-so.
Locksmith pricing
What Is the Cost of Broken Key Removal in Farnborough?
No call-out charge, and a price on the call. Those are the two constants. The figure itself is worked out from your description, because several things change how much work a broken key needs.
The factors: the way the key broke and whether part of it is sticking out; the type of lock; whether a previous attempt has complicated the extraction; and whether the cylinder has to be replaced once the piece is removed. The time of day also affects the rate.
The range: a clean extraction on an undamaged cylinder sits at the bottom, and a full cylinder replacement at the top.
You pay for the work carried out, any parts needed, and VAT. Rates outside Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, are higher, but the call-out itself is never charged.
What affects the cost?
Service required, time of attendance, lock and door type, labour and parts.
The Locks We Extract Broken Keys From
Broken keys turn up in five main kinds of lock, and we extract them from all of them:
- Euro cylinders fitted to uPVC and composite doors.
- Mortice locks on wooden doors.
- Rim cylinders on nightlatches.
- Padlocks securing gates, sheds and outbuildings.
- Locking handles on windows.
Each type calls for a different approach, so on the phone we will ask which door or window the key is stuck in.
Whatever the lock, there is more than one way a key ends up snapping, and the snap itself does not prove the cause. Years of use or bending can weaken a key; worn or damaged components can make the lock resist; a door that does not meet its frame squarely adds strain; an unsuitable or damaged copy may not turn properly; and pushing on against resistance can finish off a weakened key. That is why key, lock and door are sometimes looked at as a set. If the lock was stiff or unreliable beforehand, removing the fragment may leave that fault in place.
Whether the lock can carry on afterwards is a case-by-case answer, and sometimes it is yes. That is likely when nothing further is damaged during removal, another usable key works it properly, it operates correctly as fitted and no deeper fault is found. Keeping it is unlikely only where wear or damage prevents reliable use, or keys cannot be made to work, and any replacement needs your agreement on the work and price before starting.
What Happens When You Call Us
What should happen when you call about a snapped key? Clear advice first, work second. Our service is set up around assessing carefully, pricing transparently and matching the solution to the lock.
- Let us know the lock involved, whether the key is visible inside it and whether anyone has tried to get it out.
- Receive a price and an honest estimate of arrival time.
- A technician, DBS checked as all of ours are, takes out the broken piece with specialist extraction tools and checks the lock still turns and locks properly.
- If the cylinder is damaged, you hear why replacement is needed and agree the work and price before it goes ahead.
We ask about earlier attempts because a glued fragment is a materially different job from a clean break; it changes the quote and the tools. Whether extraction is possible is always assessed before replacing the lock is recommended. Call 24 hours a day whenever a broken key means you cannot get in or cannot secure a door.
Broken Key Removal Across Farnborough
Snapped-key call-outs are attended for homeowners, tenants, landlords and business premises across Farnborough, because a key broken in a front door often leaves the property unsecured and cannot wait for a booked slot. People in North Camp, North Farnborough, South Farnborough, Cove, Fox Lane and West Heath, and across the rest of GU14, ring the same number. Cove is mostly houses, while North Camp has a high share of private renting (Census 2021, ONS; indicative), so the door may be a household's own or part of a rented home.
Farnborough is a built-up area of around 60,700 usual residents (Census 2021, ONS). We do not say a technician is minutes from your street; give your postcode and you get a current estimate.
Emergency and planned locksmith services
Call Wilds Locksmiths Farnborough Now
Ring 01252 493213 at any hour: we are available 24 hours a day and there is no call-out charge. Until we arrive, leave the lock and the broken key exactly as they are.
- Phone: 01252 493213
01252 493213
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I need a new lock if my key has snapped?
No, in most cases. A snapped key normally leaves the cylinder intact, so once the fragment has been extracted with specialist tools you keep the same lock and use your other keys as before. Expect a replacement conversation only for wear, damage or keys that cannot be made to work, with your agreement on the work and price before anything starts.
I tried to superglue the two halves together. Have I made it worse?
Maybe, and we would rather hear about it before we arrive. Glue can bond the fragment to the pins and turn a routine extraction into a cylinder replacement, which is one of the most common routes from simple to expensive. Stop where you are: no more glue, no turning, and leave the lock exactly as it is until the technician is with you.
How long does it take to remove a broken key?
For a straightforward snap in a cylinder with no other damage, extraction is normally a matter of minutes after the technician arrives. Expect it to take longer where the fragment sits deep in the keyway, where glue or a tool has been used, or where the lock must be dismantled. When you describe the situation, we can give you a realistic estimate.
Can I get it out myself with pliers or tweezers?
Leave the broken key alone, even if it sticks out. Keep the loose piece, stop trying the lock and call us. Most of the damage on these jobs comes from repeated attempts, and pushing the fragment further into the keyway makes professional extraction harder and more expensive.
Why did my key snap in the first place?
Rarely by accident. Most snapped keys follow a lock that had been getting stiffer for weeks or months, a key worn thin by years of use, or a badly cut duplicate made from thinner metal than the original. Cold weather often tips a marginal lock over the edge. If the lock was stiff before it broke, extraction alone will not fix the underlying fault.
Do you come out at night for a snapped key?
Yes, emergency assistance for a key that has snapped is available at any time. Nights, weekends and bank holidays all fall within our daily cover. A breakage affecting the front door can stop you securing your home. In that situation, you can call about the emergency rather than waiting for daytime.
The key snapped and half of it is still in my hand. Does that help?
Yes, it can help. That half shows the technician the lock type, the profile of the key and roughly how it broke. Do not throw it away: keep it safe, tell us you have it when you call, and have it to hand when we arrive at the door.
What does it cost to have a broken key removed in Farnborough?
The price depends on how the key broke, whether any of it sticks out, the lock type, whether anything has been tried already and the hour. A clean extraction from an undamaged cylinder is the cheapest outcome. There is no call-out charge, and the price is agreed on the call before work starts. A new lock comes up only if the old one is damaged or worn, and you agree to it first.
Still have a question or need urgent assistance? Call 01252 493213, tell us what has happened and receive a current arrival estimate.