Broken Key Extraction in Centurion

What to do, and not do, while you wait

• Stop turning and pulling. A key stuck in one piece is far more likely to come out intact if nobody keeps twisting it.
• If it has snapped, hang on to the bow end, because its profile tells the technician what's inside.
• Avoid glue, pins and tweezers. They tend to jam the fragment deeper or gum up the pins.
• Mention when you call if the door is now standing open and can't be locked.
• Shut out as well? That's sorted on the same visit, as an emergency lockout.

Key stuck in the lock and won't come out goes into more detail on what's safe to try.

Stuck isn't the same as snapped

A whole key that won't come out is usually telling you about the lock: a cylinder that isn't fully back at its rest position, worn pins, a key bent slightly from being used as a lever, or simply the wrong key that went in and won't return. Pulling hard while twisting is what breaks it. A snapped key is often the end of the same story. Either way, the technician frees or removes the key and then works out why it happened.

Once it's out

Your spare goes into the lock next. If it turns freely, we're finished. If the cylinder is damaged, badly worn or caused the break in the first place, you'll be given a price to repair it or replace it, and the decision is yours. We don't make keys from broken halves, and we don't offer key cutting. If the handle was strained along with the key, see loose or broken door handles.

Gates, padlocks and shutters

Locks that live outdoors suffer from dust, sun and summer rain, which is why gate locks, padlocks and shutter locks break more keys than front doors do. At a business it usually happens at opening time, in the shutter padlock of a Samrand unit or the yard gate of a Hennopspark workshop. Calls are answered 24/7, so an early start isn't a problem. A heavily worn padlock is generally better replaced than nursed along, and you'll see the wear for yourself.

Price

R250 call-out fee. What you pay depends on where the key broke, the kind of lock and anything else that needs fixing. The quote comes first, then payment by EFT, cash or card.

Lock brands we work on

These are the lock and security-gate brands you'll find on most Centurion 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 Centurion. Areas we're often asked about include:

• Die Hoewes
• Wierda Park
• Zwartkop
• Highveld
• Heuweloord
• Thatchfield
• Samrand Business Park
• Hennopspark

All Centurion areas we cover