Broken key in Yale padlock

[cav_king]

Hi,

I have tried to use the search button for this but seemed to come up with some canadian lottery thing and some ebay thing etc, So i have resulted to have to ask the experts.

I use this big chunky Yale lock for my shed which is in a rented property i own, therefore it is also used by Lodgers.

These lodgers have managed to break the key in the lock and have pushed the broken section to the back of the lock.

I dont have any experience in extracting broken keys, so this seems like a perfect opportunity for experience.

Here is the lock







It s a pretty sturdy lock so it would seem silly to throw it away, but definately not worth paying a locksmith sort it.

I dont have a broken key extractor pick but i do have these...



I have been digging and poking at it with a few of these but cant get the technique...

Does anyone have any tips....? (excluding the magical superglue trick!)
Or any ideas on a different household item that may help me out?

Many thanks in advance for any replies.

Kind regards.

[lunchb0x]

the magical glue think doesnt work, it only stuffs your locks, it will be a bit difficalt with out a key extractor and also having a small profile

depending on the cuts on the key and where it broke you might be able to use your smaller hook pick , turn it upside down and insert it in the top of the lock, push the pins up and try hook on the the key from the cuts, but you have alot more chance with extractors

[Shrub]

If anyone mentions the superglue trick i will come around and super glue your fingers to the searoel keys on your keyboard so be warned

Your search fu needs honeing as there are some very good threads on key extracting so i advise you look closer and use the word 'AND' between words to narrow you searches down,


The key extractors found in pick sets must have some use somewhere but ive yet to find a lock that one will fit in without modifacation and once modded have no strength,

I like the spial hpc extractors and they are cheap,

If you search properly you will find loads of ideas from coping saw blades to feeler gauge so i will not dwell on tooling but will tell you what you need to do,

You need to be able to lift the pins not covered by the key and then pull the key out, this will likely be with two tools used at once,

If the key is far in then you may have problems getting it out and then you have to start gogin down other routes,

[cav_king]

Thank you for your reply, fortunately i can get down beside the broken part of the key, although 'hooking' it to pull it out seems to be proving difficult - Its pretty wedged i think...

[jimb]

If you have a fish hook you can straighten it out and see if it will pull it out. You can also put some WD40 in the keyway and this may help loosen it up.

[cav_king]

Thanks Jimb,

A fish hook, i never thought of that - Ill give it a go

[UWSDWF]

another idea is beating like a red-headed step-child keyway down on a hard surface

[cav_king]

another idea is beating like a red-headed step-child keyway down on a hard surface

LMAO - I was wondering when you were going to pop up....

Do you think this will work?

[UWSDWF]

it's worked before....

[cav_king]

You havent got a red-headed step child by any chance, have you?

[UWSDWF]

not anymore

[cav_king]

LMAO

Any other ideas? I dont have a step son.....

[UWSDWF]

LIKE not WITH....

fiercely beat the lock key way down on a hard surface

[ponsaloti]

As above, give it a good squirt of wd40, make sure pins you can see are not stuck and hit a lump of wood hard ,very good chance the broken bit will drop out.

[WOT]

As above, give it a good squirt of wd40, make sure pins you can see are not stuck and hit a lump of wood hard ,very good chance the broken bit will drop out.

Try a dental pick. I bought one at a hardware store once. It's made of very tough hardened stainless with a sharp tip that should be able to bite into the broken piece.