A jamming lock on a metal door and a key jamming at the wrong time does not seem like a serious problem to many people - until the front door stops opening and blocks access to the apartment.
The main reasons for lock breakdowns are the incorrect use of the lock mechanism: forceful methods when opening and closing, slamming the door, careless handling of the key (cutting packaging, opening a bottle).
What to do if the lock on an iron door is jammed?
Alas, even the most modern and reliable locking mechanisms tend to break. Breakdowns of door locks are always associated with mechanical damage occurring externally or internally, jam the lock on the door maybe from time or a hidden manufacturing defect.
If you can't open a jammed lock on a metal entrance door, applying a standard force to the key will not work even with the help of force. Locks are quite complex mechanisms, the operating principle of which is not known to the average person, but is definitely known to a specialist. Are you interested in knowing what you can do if the door lock is jammed and you need to get into your apartment immediately?
How to open a jammed lock on the front door yourself?
If an unpleasant situation has occurred with the lever lock, the key is jammed after three turns, but the fourth does not turn, then you can try to grind off the longitudinal protrusions that prevent the key from being inserted incorrectly. Then insert the key with the other side and open the lock. In principle, if there is nothing to grind off the protrusions, you can simply press the keyhole a little and insert the key upside down.
What to do if the cylinder or cylinder lock is jammed?
If, when opening the door, the lock cylinder is jammed, the key is stuck and cannot be pulled out, then only a professional can pull out the key without damaging the lock. In everyday life, even if you manage to get the key by accident, it is not recommended to use this mechanism, due to the fact that the situation may repeat itself.
So what should you do to remove the key and open the door?
First, take pliers and forcefully pull out the key. If it doesn’t work, then use a drill to drill out the lock cylinder and replace it with a new one. The reason for jamming of the lock cylinder is that the internal pins (which are pressed in only at the factory) fall out and grab the key blade.
What to do if the key is stuck in the door lock and won’t turn?
To resolve the problem, you must first determine the cause of the key getting stuck. If the door lock works clearly when the door is open, but when closing the key gets stuck on one of the turns, then it is necessary to bore the door frame. This action can be performed with a file, drill or grinder.
Possible reasons why the key is stuck in the door lock:
- Poor quality duplicate key
- Curved blank geometry
- The pins fell out and blocked the key tip
- Warping or shrinkage of the door leaf
- Garbage in the keyhole
- The “tendril” on the safe key broke off
The situation when key stuck in door lock quite common. It is unlikely that you will be able to use force and pull it out without damaging the lock. Most likely, the spring in the cylinder under one of the pins has broken, jammed the pins and prevents them from going down.
Tip: what to do to remove a stuck key
First of all, we remember that all mechanisms become obsolete and wear out over time. Therefore, it is necessary to spray the stuck key and jammed mechanism with WD-40 spray. You should wait a little and try moving the key in different directions.
Pour the spray again and slowly shake and vibrate the key and carefully pull it out towards you. If you manage to pull out the key, then in order to avoid repeating history, you should replace the lock cylinder.
The specialists of the Zamki-SAO company are ready to help you in each of the above cases, since we solve these situations every day and around the clock. Highly qualified specialists who will eliminate and prevent possible problems and breakdowns associated with the operation of locks are a guarantee of the reliability and safety of your doors.
A jammed lock or a stuck key is a common problem that always happens at the wrong time. But replacing door locks is not always necessary; you can fix the damage quickly and on your own. It is important to understand the cause of the breakdown and know how to fix it. Sticking of the crossbars and the key in the well occurs in some cases that you need to know.
The main reasons for lock failure
Any equipment informs the owner about a future breakdown with signals. By paying attention to them in a timely manner, you can avoid damage and replacement of the device. The first jamming requires contacting a specialist or disassembling and cleaning the parts yourself.
Important! If you disassemble the lock yourself, ensure that the structure is reassembled correctly after cleaning the parts.
Having mixed up the position of the plates in the lever lock, you will need to perform several dozen rearrangements of parts for proper assembly and operation of the structure.
If there is no response to warning signals, the lock, if it fails, will require calling technicians and opening the doors using a grinder and other devices. To prevent such situations, it is important to know the list of the main causes of breakdowns:
Knowing the possible causes of a breakdown, it is easier to understand what measures you need to take to correct the breakdown yourself or call a locksmith. Let's look at the main breakdowns and ways to solve the problem.
Important! If the lock on a metal door with an installed internal decorative plate breaks down, you will need to call specialists from the company that installed the door. Only they will be able to remove the finish efficiently and free up access to the lock.
How to open a door if the lock is jammed?
It’s good if such a situation arose with the door open. In this case, the solution to the problem is simple. You need to remove the cylinder or lever lock. The key sticking out in the cylinder can be blown out with BD-40 liquid and gradually turning it from side to side, we try to turn it.
It doesn’t work, you need to move on to a more radical method. We clamp the key with pliers and try to loosen it and make a revolution. As a rule, constant spilling of liquid and loosening of the key is triggered, the key opens the lock.
If the door is closed and the lock is jammed, we perform the work in the same sequence. Constantly pouring liquid into the grooves of the key, we try to turn the key. We perform rotation in different directions with a small amplitude. If the reason is not a breakdown of the lock itself, you will be able to open the door. Broken lock or fallen pins - in this case, you will need to drill a hole in the cylinder and use a screwdriver, gradually moving the bolt to open the lock.
In the situation with lever locks, everything is more complicated. The VDeshki canister is equipped with a thin tube. After turning the key a little, insert the tube into the vacated gap and run the cleaning liquid into the lock. If the reason is thickened grease, dirt and dust that has gotten into the organic lock, treatment with VD-40 will deal with the blockage and the key will turn the bolt. The reason is that the lock is broken - you will have to call locksmiths and cut the locks with a grinder.
But if you managed to open the door, you can disassemble the lock and try to clean and lubricate it. To do this, remove the lock cover and put the parts in a certain order. We remove dirt and rust from the body. We clean each part from rust, oil and dirt, lubricate them with silicone grease and install them in place. All parts are installed in the same position as during disassembly.
After assembling the lock and checking its functionality, you can install it on the door. If there is a breakdown, the door locks will need to be replaced.
Important! For lubrication, you cannot use any vegetable oil, especially sunflower oil. Such work will lead to rapid damage to the lock. The oil will thicken and the lock can be opened with any key, if it is not jammed before. This method was used by burglars in the last century.
What to do if the key gets stuck?
The work should be performed in the same way as when the lock is jammed. A lot of patience will be required when vandals insert matches or other objects into the larva. To correct the situation, use pliers, carefully turning, to pull the key out of the hole. Using thin wires with curved edges, we pull out foreign objects from the larva.
If the cylinder is dirty or the lubricant has frozen, the keyhole is filled with VD, after a pause, we try to pull out the stuck key, gradually loosening it. It is important here not to break the key in the well. If this happens, you need to disassemble the lock or remove the cylinder and try to remove the fragment. Lever locks are simple in this regard. Having removed the cover, we release the plates and take out the fragment. If the key remains in the cylinder and does not come out after treatment with liquid, this will require replacing the cylinder.
More complex situations and if there are no skills in working with plumbing tools will require calling specialists.
What can I do to prevent the lock from jamming?
You can prevent breakdowns and prevent significant costs by paying attention to the first signs of breakdowns and minor jamming of the lock and door.
Never open a lock after turning the handle on a closed door.
As a rule, the hole for the latch is made with less play than that of the bolts (latches) of the lock. Therefore, the door moves away, the operation of the lock is hampered by additional friction against the metal of the counter hole in the door.
In this case, the door is pressed until the latch clicks, then open the lock with the key.
Minor difficulties in removing or rotating the key require treating the lock with cleaning fluids or completely disassembling and lubricating the structure.
Distortions and sagging hinges cause difficulties in the normal operation of the door. It does not close completely, the lock begins to close with force. This kind of work is unacceptable. In this situation, calling specialists from the company that installed your door or adjusting the hidden hinges yourself will help.
It's easy to do. Using a hex key, we move the door in the place where it is rubbed, and achieve normal operation. A well-installed door should stand in any position. Opening or closing moves are not allowed.
In conclusion, some conclusions.
It is very easy to allow a breakdown, but then it will require a lot of money and time to correct the situation. Lubricate the lock, the cylinder, treat them with cleaning liquids, do not allow distortions, difficulties in closing the lock - such simple work eliminates the possibility of a situation with protruding key fragments and a jammed lock.
You have to go through many unpleasant moments if you cannot get into your own apartment, and the reason for this is simple - the key is stuck in the lock of the front door. Whether in this case it is possible to pull it out without breaking the lock, or whether the locking mechanism will have to be reinstalled, depends on what reason led to the jamming.
Why does the key get stuck in the lock?
There are two groups of factors leading to jamming - improper operation or manufacturing defects.
The first group includes:
- mechanical damage to a key that was used for other purposes, for example to unscrew screws or open bottles;
- opening/closing the lock with excessive force;
- operation of the locking mechanism at high humidity without preventive measures;
- the mechanism is not lubricated;
- attempts to open the lock with a master key;
- debris getting inside the mechanism;
- the door is installed incorrectly - skewed - or the skew appeared over time;
- Instead of a lost key, a new one was cut out, and it was not made accurately.
Jamming for these reasons can be avoided, but the next group is entirely on the conscience of the manufacturer. The lock may come with poorly turned keys, the shape of the blank may be damaged, or there may be a defect in the mechanism. Most often, such a defect is that the pins are made of the wrong metal (softer), as a result, they do not move away from pressing the key, but block it. Damage caused by improper use can most often be eliminated, but if there is a manufacturing defect, you have to change the core or the entire lock.
Should I remove the key myself or call a professional?
If you find yourself in a situation where the key is jammed and it won’t turn in the door lock, you should immediately decide whether to call a professional or act on your own. There are several factors to consider here.
- The jamming occurred while the door was open - you can try to correct the situation yourself.
- The trouble occurred when the lock was closed - even if you manage to pull out the key, a second attempt to open the door may again lead to jamming. It is better to invite a locksmith to disassemble the lock and eliminate the cause of the problem.
- The key broke when trying to open the doors, and all the tools are inside - calling a specialist is completely justified.
How to remove a stuck key?
To pull out the key without breaking it, you need to pull yourself together and not try to increase the pulling force. Just a large mechanical force leads to breakage. As a result, opening the doors and getting into the house becomes even more problematic, since you will have to break the lock. If you do everything thoughtfully, it is quite possible to remove the key using a non-destructive method and preserve the mechanism.
The most likely reason is a lack of lubrication or rust, especially in the entrance doors of a private house. Therefore, first of all, you need to spray the lock with WD-40 spray or its equivalent. If the spray is not on hand, you can use kerosene or machine oil. It can be dropped into the keyhole using a syringe.
The sequence of actions looks like this.
- Apply kerosene or spray with kerosene.
- Carefully move the wrench from side to side so that the liquid is distributed along the entire length of the core.
- Repeat everything in the same sequence.
- Wait 15-20 minutes.
- Carefully try to remove the key.
- If you can't get it, use a little more force and rock it a little from side to side when pulling it out.
After successful “liberation” you will have to disassemble the lock. This must be done in order, firstly, to identify the cause of the jam, and secondly, to check whether mechanical damage to the mechanism has occurred. Identifying the reasons will make it possible to prevent the same situation in the future.
Do not apply lubricants with cotton wool. Its lint can clog the lock.
What to do if there is a piece of debris left in the lock?
When you pull out the key, it is very easy to break it. It will be more difficult to get the fragment out of the castle. But here, too, you can first try non-destructive methods - lubricating with kerosene or spray or disassembling the lock. The fragment is pulled out in the same way as a whole key, only pliers or tweezers are used to grab it. If a piece of debris sticks out of the lock so that it can be grabbed with pliers, then the probability of a successful outcome is quite high, since with their help you can reliably grab a piece of metal. Otherwise you will have to grab it with tweezers. The capture area is insufficient, so this process rarely ends successfully.
If the gap for gripping is small or not at all, you can use a jigsaw blade with a previously broken off fastening end. It is inserted into the lock parallel to the rod. The teeth should be tilted towards themselves. When pulling out, you need to turn the jigsaw with its teeth towards the rod, trying to grab it. This procedure is repeated several times until a sufficient grip for the pliers is formed.
Prevention measures
To avoid having to pull out a stuck key or call a technician to open the doors, you need to periodically treat the lock.
One of the mandatory procedures is cleaning and lubricating the mechanism. It is done very simply.
- Pour kerosene-based cleaning liquid into the lock generously.
- Insert the key into the hole, and when you take it out, wipe it off from dirt.
- Repeat manipulations with the key several times until it remains completely clean.
- Pour lubricant (machine oil) into the mechanism and turn the key in the lock several times.
- Wipe all accessible parts dry.
Taking good care of the door fittings will prevent force majeure situations, and you will avoid an unpleasant time spent near a closed apartment.
- Opening a lever lock from 2000 rub
- Opening a cylinder lock from 1500 rub
- Opening the valve (without damaging the door) 3000 rub.
- Opening a padlock from 1500 rub
- Opening burglar-proof locks from 1500 rub
- Opening a car lock from 2000 rub
- Opening a safe from 2000 rubles (negotiable)
While the lock on the door is working properly, few people think about how to remove the key if it is stuck, and what to do in such a situation? But this problem will cause a lot of trouble: you won’t be able to get into the house, and removing the key from the locking mechanism yourself can result in its breakdown. To prevent such awkward moments from happening to you, you need to understand why this can happen and how to get a stuck key out without damaging the lock and the product itself.
In this article, we will look at some tips that will help you avoid such situations and also open the door without breaking into it.
Causes of jams
Before you start going through the options for how to get a stuck key out of the lock and take any action to remove it, you need to understand why the jam happened. As a rule, the main reason is incorrect use of the key, namely:
- its use not for its intended purpose - opening bottles with its help, opening packages, unscrewing and other similar actions;
- strong slamming of the door;
- rotation of the product due to excessive use of force.
In addition, there are other reasons. These include:
- low quality of turning;
- incorrect or altered shape of the blank;
- jamming of the locking mechanism;
- entry of foreign objects into the well;
- door warping;
- breakdown of the product inside the lock.
How to open a lock if the key is stuck in a mortise or overlay mechanism?
What to do if the key is stuck in the door? Surely only a professional knows what to do in such a situation. Often the cause of the problem lies in damage to the mechanism and breakage of the spring. This leads to the lines falling out, which prevent you from moving the key. Therefore, only an experienced specialist can safely remove the key from the cylinder lock. You can also try to take action yourself and do the following:
- First of all, if the key is stuck, there is no need to panic;
- Spray the lock bore with kerosene-based WD-40. The liquid can be purchased in the form of an aerosol or can. You can replace it with regular machine or vegetable oil, which is poured into the mechanism using a syringe. Thanks to this, old parts will be lubricated;
- after a few minutes, try rocking the product from side to side;
- then spray the lock again or lubricate it with oil, now try to pull out the key. If the key is stuck in the door, do not try to apply too much force - this may break it. Perform all actions gradually and carefully.
If you managed to cope on your own, then you should definitely change the lock. After all, as practice shows, if such a situation occurs, it will definitely happen again and it will be more difficult to solve the problem the second time.
Key stuck in the lock: how to prevent the situation?
To protect yourself and avoid awkward moments, you need to periodically clean the locking mechanism from debris and lubricate it with special compounds to remove rust and dust. Additionally, provide the lock with a cover that will prevent dirt from entering the well.
Also, to avoid a situation where the key turns in the lock and gets stuck, inspect the mechanism from time to time for damage. It is better to install two mechanisms independent of each other, so that you can use the second lock if problems are detected with the first.
Professional assistance from M-Zamok specialists
The problem when the key gets stuck in the lock cylinder when opening or closing the front door is quite common and it is not always possible to cope and fix the problem on your own. In this case, experienced professionals from the M-Zamok emergency service will come to your aid. Regardless of whether the key is stuck in a car, a safe or an apartment door, we will help eliminate the cause of the breakdown, while guaranteeing high quality workmanship. By contacting us, you can count on:
- efficiency of the technician’s departure;
- help at any time of the day;
- use of modern materials and tools;
- accuracy of execution;
- integrity of mechanical elements of locks;
- professionalism and guarantee.
"M-Zamok" - prompt assistance, affordable prices and advice from specialists!
A key or a piece of it stuck in the lock will bring many unpleasant moments. If you are reading this article, then you are also in a difficult situation and want to know.
Despite the fact that lock manufacturers are constantly improving the quality of their products, releasing unique locking mechanisms that can withstand various types of hacking, keys, like many decades ago, sometimes fail their owners. They break at the most inopportune moment. Most affected people prefer to remove and throw it away, purchasing a new mechanism.
It would seem that this is the only correct option, but in fact there are other methods, the use of which will preserve the castle. All you need to do is simply remove the key piece. How to do this is described in detail below.
How to remove a broken key. Several effective ways
First of all, let's tell you how to remove the key from a door lock, if a conventional mortise lock with a rod key is installed. To do this, you just need to remove the side cover of the locking mechanism. After the fragment is removed, the lock is installed in place. Its functionality will not change in any way. Perhaps it is recommended to lubricate the internal mechanism to prevent the unpleasant situation from reoccurring.
Now let's tell you how to remove the key from a door lock, if a locking mechanism is used that cannot be disassembled. The easiest option is to use pliers, but this is only possible if part of the key sticks out of the keyhole.
If the fragment peeks out just a little and you can’t catch it with pliers, try using tweezers with sharpened edges. The work ahead will be “jewelry”, since you will have to not only securely cling to the fragment, but also carefully pull it out of the well. Considering that the area of contact between the tweezers and the key is minimal, this is not so easy to do. You should rock the piece slightly until it gives way forward.
Some craftsmen advise taking two awls (or regular sewing needles), well sharpened. Each awl is inserted into the keyhole on both sides of the fragment and securely clamped together. As soon as you manage to fix the rest of the key, you need to pull the awl towards you. Gradually the fragment should move forward.
What other methods are there - a jigsaw file and super glue?
If none of the above has helped you, we recommend that you consider a few more methods: how to remove the key from a door lock. To do this you will need a certain set of tools and devices:
- jigsaw file;
- thin steel wire;
- Super glue;
Each of the above mentioned things is intended for a separate method. Let's start in order.
The jigsaw file must be inserted into the keyhole with the teeth facing up. Then carefully and extremely carefully turn the file in any direction - the main thing is that the teeth pry off the fragment. As soon as the nail file securely adheres to the rest of the key, slowly pull it towards you, pulling the key out of the hole.
However, not everyone has a jigsaw file, but finding thin steel wire is not a problem. Carefully insert it into the hole and try to hook the fragment, gradually removing it from the hole.
Now let's move on to how to remove the key from a door lock using super glue. The method is quite original, but takes a little time. Apply glue to the head of the key that is still in your hand and press it against the piece of debris stuck in the hole. Fix the head and hold it for a while until the glue hardens. Its strength will be enough to remove the fragment, but in the future it is not recommended to use the glued key. This method is quite difficult, as it requires increased attention and accuracy. The slightest carelessness can lead to the keyhole being smeared with glue and the locking mechanism will have to be replaced.
What if you solder it without removing it from the lock?
That's a variety of options, how to remove the key from a door lock, does not end. In this part of the material we will offer several more methods for which you will need:
- liquid to combat corrosion and rust;
- brass tube and blowtorch;
- magnet;
In this case, each item has its own method of removing a piece of key from the keyhole. For example, you can use a brass tube, the diameter of which is slightly larger than the size of the fragment, that is, the tube will be put on the fragment with a certain force.
Using a blowtorch, slightly heat the end of the tube that you plan to put on the fragment. Then pull it over the remains of the key and wait a little until the tube cools completely. Then inject some anti-corrosion liquid into the keyhole. Now you can slightly bend the tube, turn the key and slowly pull it out of the lock.
Would you like to know another way? how to remove the key from a door lock? Use a regular magnet, naturally large in size. First, inject a very small amount of anti-corrosion liquid into the hole, and then, using a magnet, try to make the key appear at least a little above the level of the keyhole. Once this is achieved, then it’s a matter of little things. Use tweezers or pliers to pry up the key.
The key is not broken, but it is impossible to get it out
Situations are relatively common when a key gets stuck in new locks installed in a building. At the same time, it does not break, but when trying to remove it from the well, nothing happens. As practice shows, it is actually quite difficult to pull out the key without damaging the lock core.
Most often, the cause of such blocking is a broken spring under the pin, as a result of which it remains motionless and secures the key tightly. The second reason why the key is “blocked” inside the well may be internal parts made of soft raw materials. This leads to the fact that the pins again do not fall into the channels and fix the key without letting it out of the hole.
Don't be upset. There is a great way how to remove the key from a door lock in such situation. First, carefully lubricate the locking mechanism cylinder using the popular WD-40 lubricant. It is best to take an aerosol can, since the special nozzle will ensure the most accurate distribution of the lubricant. Next, use regular pliers. Hold the head of the key with them and carefully, moving it up and down, as if creating a slight vibration, begin to slowly pull it towards you. In most cases, you can remove the key. If you also managed to free it, be sure to replace the locking mechanism cylinder, since it is faulty and will cause you a lot of trouble and problems in the future.
However, it is only possible to remove the key in this way if the door is already open, and if the lock is locked, then you cannot do without professional help.
Summing up
Now you know several effective ways how to remove the key from a door lock. However, you should not think that one of them will necessarily become a panacea and help solve the problem.
In order to remove the fragment, it is necessary to show maximum dexterity, as well as rely on a lucky chance. Without a certain amount of luck, it is difficult to count on success. In particular, rash actions can lead to damage to the lock. Therefore, it is recommended to immediately seek help from professionals who know what to do in each specific case.