Broken Key Extraction in Roodepoort
You turn the key, there's a small crack, and you're holding the bow while the blade stays in the lock. Now the door won't open, or it won't lock, and nobody else can use a key either. As a mobile locksmith, we come to the door, gate or padlock, take out the broken piece and find out what caused it.
- 24/7Every day, nights included
- R250Call-out fee
- On sitePrice agreed before work
- EFT · Cash · CardWays to pay
Why the key gave way
A key that snaps is nearly always the end of a longer story. Keys worn thin over years of use crack at the neck. A badly made copy is weaker than the original from the start. And a lock that has gradually become stiff needs more force every week until something gives. If the lock was the problem, removing the broken piece only buys time. Unless the stiffness is fixed as well, you'll be back here with another snapped key.
Leave it alone until we get there
- Don't push another key in after it. You'll drive the broken piece deeper.
- Don't try superglue on the stub. Glue can run into the lock and set solid.
- Don't dig at it with hairpins, wire or a knife. That scratches and bends the parts inside.
- Don't squirt oil or spray in "to loosen it". It carries grit further in.
If a decent length of key is showing and it slides free with a gentle, straight pull, fine. If it doesn't, stop there and phone us.
What we do on site
Using proper extraction tools, the technician draws out the fragment and then tries the lock with a good key. Smooth turning often means the job's done. If the lock was stiff, worn, or roughed up by earlier attempts to get the piece out, the technician explains whether a repair or a new lock makes more sense, and quotes for each before doing either.
Gate locks and padlocks
Keys break in outside locks more often than in front doors, because gate locks and padlocks pick up rust and dust and stiffen over time. If the key snapped in a security gate, read why gate locks seize to stop it happening again.
If it was your last key
Hang on to both halves: the break shows the technician where the fault lay. Note that we don't cut or copy keys. If the broken one was your only working key, or the spare is badly worn, think about whether to replace the lock while you can still open it. Our guide on when to rekey or replace covers this.
Lock brands we work on
These are the lock and security-gate brands you'll find on most Roodepoort doors and gates, sold by Builders, Cashbuild, Leroy Merlin and locksmith suppliers across Gauteng. If yours isn't listed, send us a photo.
- UnionMortice locksets, cylinders, gate locks
- YaleLocksets, padlocks, smart locks
- TrellidorSecurity-gate locks
- CISACylinders, gate and door locks
- Mul-T-LockHigh-security cylinders, padlocks
- dormakabaCommercial locks and key systems
- ABUSPadlocks
- Master LockPadlocks
Brand names belong to their owners and are used only to describe what we work on. We're not an agent of, or endorsed by, these manufacturers.
Where this service is available
We provide broken-key extraction as part of our mobile locksmith service across Roodepoort. Areas we're often asked about include:
Questions customers ask
Does a broken key mean a new lock?
Not usually. Plenty of locks are perfectly fine once the fragment is out. We'd only suggest a new one if the lock is worn or was damaged.
The key broke and I can't get in. What now?
Phone us. The technician normally extracts the piece first and then opens the lock as usual. If that isn't possible, they'll explain the other options before anything destructive is done. See emergency lockouts.
Request broken-key extraction
Four quick details. We reply by phone or WhatsApp, 24/7. For anything urgent, calling is quickest.