- Genuinely open 24/7
- ID & ownership verified
- Quote before any work
- Mobile — we come to you
A snapped key is often a warning that both the key and the lock are tired. Cutting a crisp new key, and sometimes servicing the cylinder, restores smooth operation instead of leaving you one hard turn away from the next break.
Extraction is a careful job. Done with the proper tools, the fragment comes out and the cylinder is unharmed. Done with a bent paperclip, it jams deeper and can turn a simple fix into a lock replacement — which is why it is worth a proper tool.
How extraction works
A broken-key call in the San Fernando Valley goes:
- Confirm ownership or authorization and check ID.
- Remove the broken fragment with extractor tools, protecting the cylinder.
- Test the lock or ignition for smooth operation and service it if it is binding.
- Cut a fresh key from a code or the removed piece, with the total agreed in writing.
- Check the new key turns easily, since a stiff lock is what snapped the last one.
- Advise whether the cylinder is worn enough to be worth servicing or replacing.
When you need this
- A key snapped off in a door, deadbolt, or ignition.
- A key is stuck and will not come out or turn.
- An old key is bending or hard to turn and you worry it will break.
- A copy was cut poorly and jammed in the lock.
Honest limits
We get the broken piece out without harming a sound lock. If the cylinder was worn or damaged to begin with, we will tell you up front that a fresh key alone may not keep it from happening again.
What affects what you pay
Pricing depends on what the job actually needs, so we quote you on the call or on site before we touch anything. Nothing goes ahead until you have agreed to the price in writing.
The main cost factors are the hardware involved, how the job has to be done, the time of day, and whether parts need ordering in. We walk through those with you on the call so the written quote holds no surprises.
How we keep it honest
We check ID and proof of ownership, residence, or authorization before any lock is opened or any key is cut. It is a standard step on every call, at any hour.
Day or night, a locksmith answers — not a machine and not a next-morning callback. The verification steps do not change after hours.
Locked out or need a lock sorted?
Call and tell us what is going on. We will give you an honest arrival window and a clear quote before any work starts.
Questions people ask
Can you get the piece out without replacing the lock?
In most cases, yes. Proper extractor tools remove the fragment and leave the cylinder intact. Replacement only comes up if the lock was already damaged or seized, and we will show you first.
Why did my key break?
Usually a worn key, a binding lock, or both. We check the cylinder so a new key is not fighting the same resistance that snapped the last one.
Can you make a new key if mine broke in half?
Often yes — we can cut from the removed piece or from a code. If the break ruined the pattern, we may cut a key to the lock itself.
My key broke in the ignition — can you help?
Yes. We extract keys from ignitions as well as doors, then check whether the ignition or the key was the cause before cutting a replacement.
Is this an emergency call?
It can be. A key stuck in your only lock is covered around the clock in the San Fernando Valley, with the usual ID and authorization checks.
From the blog
Rekey or replace your locks? How to tell
Rekeying and replacing locks solve different problems. A plain guide to which one you actually need — and how to avoid paying for the wrong one.
Locked out of your house? A calm, step-by-step plan
A practical, no-panic guide to a house lockout in the San Fernando Valley — what to try first, what not to do, and when to call a locksmith.