Key broken off

If a broken piece is stuck in the euro profile cylinder, it often blocks the core or the keyway. The aim: remove it without unnecessary damage, then check that the cylinder works and is secure.

The piece is taken out with an extractor or gripping tool. Then we check: does the cylinder still lock reliably? Are the pins or the core damaged? Sometimes removing the piece and opening the door is enough; if the cylinder is bent, rusty or no longer trustworthy, a cylinder change follows as a separate step.

If the door is shut, the opening price from the price list applies (slammed shut or locked). New cylinder: fitting 49 € on the same trip plus material (standard cylinder typically 25–50 €) – fixed price on the phone beforehand.

Don’t keep turning, and don’t poke around in the lock with tweezers or a needle. That often just pushes the broken piece further in. Never use glue. Keep the broken-off piece you still have in your hand.

If the key has broken off on the outside and the door is shut, you need a door opening. We take out the broken piece as part of it. If the door is open and the key has broken off on the inside, it is usually not an emergency. Then you can book an appointment during the day.

Often, yes. After removing the piece, we check whether the cylinder locks smoothly with another key. If it is bent, very stiff or already old, we recommend a new one. On the same trip, fitting costs 49 € on top of the opening, plus material. A standard cylinder typically costs 25–50 €.

Usually the key is worn or a poor copy. A stiff lock, or a key that has been used as a lever, also breaks easily. Don’t oil a lock with household oil. A lock spray or graphite is better.

Always have new keys cut from the original, not from a copy. Every copy is less precise. For security cylinders you only get new keys with the security card.

If the key breaks off in the front door of a block of flats, please let the property management know. The front door is often part of a master key system. Then not just anyone may fit a new cylinder, because otherwise the other residents’ keys would no longer fit. We take out the broken piece and agree the next steps with you.

The part you hold is called the bow (Reide), and the part behind it is called the blade (Halm). The blade carries the cuts that match the cylinder. The key is thinnest where the bow meets the blade, and that is where it breaks most often. If the broken piece stays in the cylinder, it sits exactly in the part that has to turn when you lock or unlock. That is why the cylinder usually cannot be moved afterwards, not even with a matching second key.

Inside the cylinder there are small pins that springs press downwards. The right key lifts each pin exactly far enough for the core to turn. The broken piece still holds the pins in that position, but it often sits at an angle. Pulling at it or poking around in the lock shifts the pins. It is easier for us if everything stays exactly as it was when the key broke. The less that has been tried beforehand, the more likely it is that the cylinder survives intact.

In winter, the key sometimes gets stuck because moisture inside the cylinder has frozen. If you then turn it with force, it can easily break off. It is better to warm the key in your hand or use a de-icer for locks. Do not pour hot water over it, as it will only freeze again afterwards. A cylinder on an outside door that jams every winter should be checked.

If a large bunch with lots of keys and fobs hangs from the key while it is in the lock, the weight pulls downwards all the time. Over the years, both the key and the cylinder suffer. Take the key out after unlocking, or separate keys you rarely use from the bunch. Never use the key to pull the door open, either. That is what the handle or the pull handle is for, not the key.

Children often get in touch on behalf of their elderly parents: the key has broken off, and their mother is standing outside the door. Tell her not to try anything else on the lock and to put the broken piece in her pocket. Find out whether a neighbour can wait with her. On site, she shows us her ID card with her address. If it is inside the flat, she shows it straight after the door has been opened.