Broken Key Extraction
in Van Nuys
Need broken key extraction in Van Nuys, CA? We answer fast, quote the price up front, and come to you — you pay when the job is done.
About the service
Professional Broken Key Extraction in Van Nuys
It usually happens at the worst moment. You're juggling groceries on a flat stretch of the Valley floor, you twist a little harder than usual, and the key gives up. Half stays in your hand, half stays in the lock. Out here the heat doesn't help either, since a summer afternoon in Van Nuys can bake a worn-down brass key until it's brittle enough to shear off clean.
We handle the snapped-key calls all over the area, from the houses near Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area over toward Valley Glen and the Sherman Oaks edge. Whether the stub broke off in a deadbolt, a knob, or your ignition, the job is the same: get the piece out without chewing up the cylinder, then sort you out with a working key before we leave.
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What to expect
What Happens When You Call Us in Van Nuys
First thing we do on arrival is look at how the break sits. If a sliver is poking out, sometimes it comes free with extractor tools and a steady hand in a couple of minutes. If it snapped flush or down inside the keyway, we work slower with thin extractor picks so the pins and wafers stay put and the lock keeps working afterward. Ignitions are tighter quarters than a door, so those take more patience.
Once the broken piece is out, you still need a key. If we have the blank and the cuts are readable, we cut and test one on the spot. Older worn keys sometimes need decoding off the lock or the code instead. Most Van Nuys jobs wrap inside the hour, and we run 24/7 if it happens late. Call (818) 398-9391 and tell us where it broke.
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Common questions
FAQ
Can you get the broken piece out without breaking the lock?
That's the whole point of the way we do it. We use extractor picks that grab the broken stub and slide it out while the pins stay where they belong, so the cylinder keeps working. We only talk about replacing a lock if it was already failing, or if a previous attempt with pliers or glue damaged the inside, which we see more often than you'd think.
Can you cut a new key after you pull the broken one?
Usually yes, right there. If we have the matching blank and the cuts on your old key are still readable, we copy them and test the new key in the lock before we go. If the key was too worn to read, we can often decode the lock itself or use a code to cut a fresh one instead.
Is a key stuck in the ignition different from a door lock?
Yes, and it's tougher. An ignition cylinder is a tighter, deeper keyway than a house deadbolt, and there's a steering column and dash crowding the work, so extraction takes more patience. We still aim to free the piece without pulling the whole ignition, but tell us up front if it's the ignition so we bring the right tools.
How long does broken key extraction take?
When a piece of the stub is poking out, it can be a few minutes. A key snapped flush or down inside the keyway takes longer because we go slow to protect the lock. Add cutting a replacement key on top of that, and most Van Nuys calls still finish inside an hour.
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