Residential Key Extraction

Residential Key Extraction

There are many different reasons why a key could get stuck in a lock, but all these reasons generally have to do with one main concept, something not functioning as it should within the cylinder. A cylinder could be kept inside of its housing with through a variety of methods. Some cylinders are attached to the housing through a series of clips, some have screws attached to a tailpiece, and some lock cylinders even have a tailpiece which acts like a cap and directly screws onto the cylinder itself. If any of these clips fall out, or any of these screws are too loose or too tight then the cylinder may shift out of place. If this happens then the pins will be out of place and the key may get stuck in the lock.

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Lubricating Lock Cylinder

One of the first steps someone should try to take when the key is stuck in the lock is to lubricate the lock cylinder. WD-40 is a really good lubricant that many locksmiths like to use. If anything is shifted out of place and is stuck there then adding WD-40 may help it glide back to the position that it is supposed to be in. If this works and everything goes back to its intended position after adding WD-40 and gently wiggling the key then it may eventually come out. If this is the case then you should not stop there. The next step should be to find out exactly what was wrong with the cylinder in the first place. You can do this by taking it apart and seeing if any parts were on too tight, too loose, or missing completely. You can then diagnose the problem and see if it is something that can be fixed, or if the lock should just be replaced. If the lock does need to be replaced it is always possible to replace it with a lock of a similar keyway and rekey (link to rekey page) it to fit the same key as the previous lock.

Spring and Pin Replacement

Most locks work through a series of pins and springs. The locks have a series of top pins, with springs right above them, which are inside the housing right above where the cylinder is located, and bottom pins, which are located within the cylinder itself. When the proper key is inserted the pins shift to their proper position with a small gap between the cylinder and its housing, allowing the cylinder to turn. When the pins are not in the proper position they will block the space between the cylinder and its housing meaning that the cylinder will not be able to turn. This means that if even one of the pins are out of position, or if one of the springs is broken, then the key could get stuck in the lock and it will not function as it should. If this is the issue with your lock our expert technicians will be able to diagnose it and fix your problem by replacing your springs and pins if need be.