One of the locksmith emergencies you may experience as a homeowner is hearing that unmistakable crack as your key breaks right inside its lock. Keys breaking can prove to be frustrating for a couple of reasons. Firstly, a broken key without a spare means you would have to locate emergency locksmith services as soon as possible to give you access to your door. Secondly, if the broken part is lodged in the lock, your spare key will not do you any good as you will not be able to access the lock cylinder. If your key breaks inside the lock, here are a few things you can try to do to remove it. 

A pair of tweezers

One of the most readily available tools that you could use to try to dislodge a broken key would be a pair of tweezers. Nonetheless, this does not mean that the first pair that you come across would be up to the task. To begin with, you need to compare the thickness of the tweezers to the space inside the door lock. If the tweezers are too thick, there is the likelihood of your efforts pushing the broken key further down the lock, and this would only exacerbate the problem. Secondly, it is best to use a long and thin pair of tweezers as these would be easier to navigate through your locking system.

A jigsaw blade

The second type of tool you may have lying around your home is a jigsaw blade. Before sticking the jigsaw blade inside the lock, you should make sure that you are using a thin metal that will be able to fit inside the keyway without getting jammed. The thinner the blade is, the higher the likelihood that it would be able to jimmy the broken piece of the key out. If the serrated edge of the jigsaw blade is at an angle, then you should insert the blade with its serrations pointing in your direction. This approach not only makes it easier for the blade to enter the keyway but, the serrations can also facilitate the outward extraction of the key. Be careful to not break the blade inside the lock, as you will require immediate emergency locksmith services.

Striking the cylinder

If the key has broken inside a padlock, then hitting the cylinder may be the best way to go. Have the lock side of the cylinder face down so that gravity can assist with the removal of the broken part. Take note that striking the cylinder too hard may end up damaging it, and you could require cylinder replacement services from your emergency locksmith.